AI Appeal to ratify ICC's Statute (r)

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Subject: Re: AI Appeal to ratify ICC's Statute

(AFP/Le Monde, translation EBN) Paris, The French will ratify "during
the second semester year 2000" the treaty concerning the internatinal
penal Court (CPI) , according to government spokesman Daniel Valliant.
French foreign affairs minister Herbert Vedrine (supporter of burmese
junta sic) presented to the conseil of ministers a legal proposition
(projet de loi) authorising ratification. Last june a first step had
been taken, with a revision of the constitution. In terms of the treaty
singed in Rome July 18 1998, the CPI will have the jurisdicitional
autority to judge crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, of war
and aggression. The treaty will only be applicable once it has been
ratified by 6O countries; todayte, only five have signed it out of 120.
After ratification, France must then "adapt" its legislation "to
establish french juridictional competence and to organise the
cooperation between France and the Court", said Vaillant.

 

panyoma panyoma wrote:
> 
> Dear Anja
> 
> Thank you for bringing this ICC issues up.This is a great call.NCGUB must do it now.
> Hope they are awake!
> 
> Cheers and have a happy ny 2000.
> 
> panyoma/syd
> 
> Anja van Dijk wrote:
> 
> > AI Index: IOR 40/07/99
> > 13 May 1999
> >
> > APPEAL BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO ALL STATES TO RATIFY THE STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
> >
> > Amnesty International is calling upon all states to strengthen the rule of law around the world by ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as possible. Starting today, Amnesty International's more than one million members and supporters will be working with more than 800 other non-governmental organizations in the NGO Coalition for an International Criminal Court in a worldwide effort to establish the Court at the earliest possible date, to provide the Court with
> > The Statute, which was adopted on 17 July 1998 by a vote of 120 to seven, with 21 abstentions, at the conclusion of a five-week diplomatic conference in Rome, provides for the establishment of a permanent International Criminal Court with jurisdiction over the worst crimes in the world: genocide, other crimes against humanity and war crimes, in both international and non international conflicts.
> > The need for the Court is clear. In the half a century since the end of the trials before the International Military Tribunals at Nuremberg and Tokyo, despite millions of victims of genocide, other crimes against humanity and war crimes, states have largely failed to fulfil their responsibilities to bring those responsible to justice.
> > The Court will not, of course, be a substitute for national courts which are able and willing to fulfil their responsibilities. It will exercise its jurisdiction only when states fail to carry out their responsibilities under international law to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice. The very existence of the Court will act as a catalyst to inspire national legal systems to fulfil their duties and will act as a deterrent to such crimes.
> > In the short term, Amnesty International is requesting all states to:
> 
> 
> 
> !
> ou!
> > rt if requested to do so when their nationals are accused of crimes committed as a member of a United Nations peace-keeping or other operation.
> 
> 
> 
> > Therefore, Amnesty International is also calling upon states to exercise such jurisdiction when the Court is unable to do so or other states fail to fulfil their responsibilities. It has published today 14 Principles on the Effective Exercise of Universal Jurisdiction (AI Index: IOR 53/01/99) to guide states in exercising such jurisdiction after the House of Lords judgment on 24 March 1999 concerning the request by Spain to extradite former General Augusto Pinochet on charges of torture and co
> > In the longer term, Amnesty International will be working to ensure that the Court receives all the resources it needs; that qualified candidates are selected as Prosecutor, Judges and other staff; that a Review Conference is called as soon as possible to strengthen the Statute; that the Statute is ratified as widely as possible after it enters into force, that states cooperate fully and promptly with the Court and that the Assembly of States Parties takes effective action if any state party f
> > I urge you to take these steps to help end impunity for the worst crimes in the world which have plagued this century like no other. I look forward to working with you to achieve these goals.
> > Yours sincerely,
> >
> > Pierre Sané
> > Secretary General