ICC - Solemn Undertaking of the Prosecutor

Solemn Undertaking of the Prosecutor

ICC-OTP-20030523-12

On 16 June 2003, in an open session of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the elected Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo (Argentina) will be sworn in. The session is to be held in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace, in The Hague. It will commence at 14:00 hours, lasting until approximately 16:00 hours.

Mr. Moreno Ocampo was elected in April 2003 by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC. His solemn undertaking will be witnessed by the President of the Assembly of States Parties, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan.

In March 2003, 18 judges, among them seven women, took their oath, and the same day Mr. Philippe Kirsch (Canada) was elected President, and Ms. Elizabeth Odio Benito (Costa Rica) and Ms. Akua Kuenyehia (Ghana) Vice-presidents of the Court.

It is envisaged that the Registrar of the Court will be elected in June 2003 by the Judges. Once elected, all the principal officers of the Court will be in place for the first time since the Rome Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002.

During the open session, statements will be delivered by the President of the Assembly of States Parties, the President of the ICC, the Chief Prosecutor, as well as representatives of the defence and victims.

The President of the Assembly of States Parties of the Rome Statute, the President of the ICC and the Chief Prosecutor, would hold a press conference at The Hague Academy of International Law, Peace Palace, after the ceremony.

Seminar

On 17 and 18 June a seminar will take place in the building of The Hague Academy of International Law (by the Peace Palace). The event, convened by the Chief Prosecutor, aims at engaging leading experts in the field of international criminal justice in an open discussion on key policy questions facing the Office of the Prosecutor as it commences operation. Thus, all media representatives are kindly invited to attend the hearing, and may intervene to address specific agenda points.

On 18 June 2003, the Chief Prosecutor will hold a press conference in the building of The Hague Academy of International Law (Peace Palace), at approximately 12:30 hours, to present the preliminary outcomes of the seminar.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court entered into force on 1 July 2002, when the number of ratifications passed the necessary number of sixty. The Court is competent to try cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes and is complementary to national legal systems. As of 23 May 2003, there are 90 States Parties to the Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor