Press Release: 15 November 2019

ICC hosts Seventh International Meetings of the Defence

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On 15 November 2019, the Seventh International Meetings of the Defence was hosted at the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands, organised by the ICC's Office of Public Counsel for the Defence (OPCD) in partnership with the Defence Office of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), and with the support of the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA), and the Association of Defence Counsel practising before the International Courts and Tribunals (ADC-ICT). The event was attended approximately by 60 Defence Counsels, Bar Associations representatives, international criminal law defence office staff, and experts in international criminal justice.

"There cannot be efficient international criminal justice without high quality defence," ICC First Vice-President Judge Robert Fremr emphasised at the opening of the event. "Regular dialogue between those who deal with similar challenges is essential to staying on the cutting edge on your profession," he added.

The event featured opening speeches by ICC First Vice-President Judge Robert Fremr, STL President Judge Ivana Hrdličková, ICC OPCD Principal Counsel, Xavier-Jean Keïta, and the STL Head of Defence Office, Dorothée Le Fraper du Hellen. The discussions covered a range of issues of interest to legal Counsels practicing before international criminal courts and tribunals. The Meetings were concluded under the chairmanship of Elisabeth Zakharia Sioufi, Director of the Human Rights Institute of the Beirut Bar Association, and Representative of the President of the Beirut Bar Association.

A strong defence is a vital component of a fair trial. The Defence teams represent and protect the rights of the defendant, who is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before the Court.

For more information, see: https://www.icc-cpi.int/about/defence


For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: [email protected]

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