Solemn Undertaking of Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions)
Press Release
Solemn Undertaking of Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions)
ICC-OTP-20041101-82
Mrs Fatou Bensouda of The Gambia made her solemn undertaking as Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions) of the International Criminal Court in an open session of the Court on Monday 1 November 2004. The ceremony and Court session was presided over by Judge Philippe Kirsch, ICC President.
In the ceremony Mrs Fatou Bensouda pledged to perform her “duties and exercise [her] powers as Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court honourably, faithfully impartially and conscientiously, and [to] respect the confidentiality of investigations and prosecutions”.
President Kirsch welcomed Mrs Bensouda explaining that her inauguration coincides with the commencement of the judicial phase of operations and at a time when the Office of the Prosecutor has initiated and continues to conduct investigations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. “The first proceedings could occur at any time now. Your arrival at the Court is thus quite timely,” he said.
The solemn undertaking of the Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions ) was witnessed by the Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties, Mr Felipe Paolillo. In his welcoming address, he said that the celebration of this solemn act constitutes a new message that the Court sends to the international community confirming that a new era has started, a new era during which the possibility for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes to remain unpunished will gradually diminish and ultimately disappear.
The Registrar of the Court, Bruno Cathala said that “the Registry will give you its full support […] such that the Court is able to provide justice which really and effectively takes into account the rights of the defence and of victims and which guarantees in particular that the principles governing due process are a reality. He underlined the importance of mutual cooperation and coordination between the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry with respect to victims and defence issues.
In a speech after the ceremony ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampocongratulated Deputy Prosecutor Bensouda on her election and said he was “touched by the enthusiastic praise, from all who have worked with her, about her commitment, compassion and leadership”. He added that the timing of her election “could not be better. The Office has moved from the development phase to the operational phase. We expect to soon begin our courtroom activities in support of investigations.”
Prosecutor Hassan B. Jallow of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslaviaboth followed with speeches and congratulations for Mrs Bensouda.
Prosecutor Hassan B. Jallow said in his speech that Mrs. Bensouda had “carried out her duties at the ICTR with remarkable competence, with dedication and with commitment to the cause of international criminal justice”. Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said that Mrs. Bensouda had brought “a wealth of experience and practice to the ICTR”.
Mrs Bensouda was elected for a period of nine years by the Assembly of State Parties of the International Criminal Court on 8 September 2004. As Deputy Prosecutor (Prosecutions), Mrs Fatou Bensouda will head the management of the Prosecution Division of the Office of the Prosecutor. She will report directly to the Prosecutor.
Mrs Fatou Bensouda has worked as a lawyer, a prosecutor, and a government Minister in the Republic of the Gambia. She began her career as a Public Prosecutor in 1987 and rose successively to the offices of Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Solicitor General, Attorney General and Secretary of State (Minister) for Justice of her country. In May 2002, she took up the post of Legal Adviser and Trial Attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. She has been the manager of a leading commercial bank and a delegate of the Gambia to the meetings of the Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court in New York in 1999.
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Source: Office of the Prosecutor