ICC celebrates the Day of International Criminal Justice 17 July

Tomorrow 17 July, the International Criminal Court (ICC) commemorates officially for the first time the Day of International Justice. The date of 17 July was adopted by the Assembly of the States Parties during the Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala (Uganda) last June. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founder treaty of the ICC.

 

“Indeed we have good reason to celebrate 17 July as a day which signifies tremendous achievements in the field of international criminal justice. However, we should not be too satisfied, because countless innocent civilians still continue to be the victims of terrible atrocities in different parts of the world”, states ICC President, Judge Sang-Hyun Song.

 

By adopting this date, the States Parties to that Statute reaffirm their engagement, previously expressed in the Preamble of the Rome Statute, to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of unimaginable atrocities, for the sake of present and future generations.

 

President Song, underlines that “the States Parties have entrusted the Court with a tremendously important mission of turning into practice the noble principles embodied in the Rome Statute”. He calls all the States Parties “to implement the provisions of the Rome Statute in their national legislation, enabling effective cooperation with the Court”. The ICC President closes his statement by encouraging all States that have not yet done so to ratify the Rome Statute.

 

Various activities such as round tables, seminars and town hall meetings are organised in cooperation with local NGOs in countries where the ICC has opened investigations. In addition, the Municipality of The Hague, the seat of the ICC, has raised 50 flags honouring the day.

 

For complete speech of President Song click here

For video message of President Song click here

For video commemorating the Day of International Justice click here

 

 

For further information please contact Sonia Robla, Chief of the Public Information and Documentation Section at +31 (0)70 515-8089 or +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at [email protected]