Discussion on work of International Criminal Court

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade meets today with Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), to discuss the work of the court.

The ICC opened its doors in July 2002 to try those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Chairman of the Committee Clare TD Pat Breen says, “The International Criminal Court was established with the purpose of ensuring that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole do not go unpunished. Ireland is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court and was among the first 50 states to sign the Rome Statute, which governs the running of the Court.

“. The Court is a relatively young international institution which requires political and diplomatic support to ensure its effective functioning. Following an outline of the work of her Office, Committee Members will have an opportunity to consider the achievements of the ICC in its 11-year history and the current challenges it faces.

“Discussion is expected to focus on the proposed broadening of the court’s remit to include crimes of aggression, with supporters of the Court pushing for the entering into force of the so-called Kampala amendments by 2017. The practicalities of witness protection may also be raised, with Ireland currently negotiating a Witness Re-Location Agreement with the Court.”