Seminar: Understanding the ICC - The Rights of Victims and Defence

ICC-CPI-20041210-84

Kinshasa, 10 December 2004

The Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is holding a seminar on 10 and 11 December 2004 in Kinshasa titled “Understanding the ICC - The Rights of Victims and Defence.”  The seminar will be divided into two workshops, the first targeted towards lawyers and the second towards non-governmental organisations (NGOs). They will be coordinated by representatives of the ICC, in particular from the Division for Victims and Counsel as well as Congolese specialists in the fields of international criminal law and human rights. 

Following a general presentation on the work of the ICC, technical issues relating to victims rights and defence will be discussed by the participants, consisting predominantly of legal practitioners. The objective of the seminar is to enable lawyers, who may in the future represent victims or accused before the Court and NGO’s who may assist them, to better understand the procedures involved. 

The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction over the most serious crimes committed after its Statute entered into force on 1 July, 2002. It has jurisdiction over the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the territory of a State Party or by a national of a State Party. As of now, 97 States are parties to the Statute of the ICC, also known as the Rome Statute. 

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For general questions please contact Joanne Moore, Press Assistant of the ICC, +243 97526487 (Kinshasa)