Our purpose: Promoting peace through criminal justice – preventing crimes of aggression
Through the United Nations Charter, States have expressed their commitment “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. They have agreed to renounce the illegal threat or use of force, and to settle their disputes “by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered”. States have the legal duty to abide by this commitment and the UN Security Council has the primary responsibility to enforce it.The Nuremberg Trials made it clear that criminal justice also has an important role to play for the promotion of peace and the deterrence of acts of aggression – though it remained limited and theoretical for many decades thereafter. With the 2010 Kampala amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, States Parties created a new mechanism to enforce the most important rule of international law: the prohibition of the illegal use of force under the United Nations Charter. This website is dedicated to making accountability a reality.
News
Cyprus ratifies crime of aggression amendments: Ioannis Kasoulides, foreign minister of Cyprus, deposited his country’s instrument of ratification of the Kampala amendments with the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations today. Cyprus is the 8th State Party to ratify the amendments. It is the 2nd State from Asia and the 4th Member of the European Union that has completed the process. Upon activation of the amendments in 2017, the ICC will be the first international court since the International Military Tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo to hold individuals responsible for the crime of aggression.
Photo © United Nations / Win Khine
Slovenian National Assembly ratifies Kampala Amendments: All 83 deputies present voted in favour of ratification. Once the remaining formalities – including the gazetting of the Amendments and their signature by the President – are complete and the amendments are deposited with the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations, Slovenia will become the second Eastern European State Party to the amendments.
Photo © mapsofworld.com
Swiss Government launches consultation procedure on ratification of Kampala Amendments: The Swiss Government today launched a public consultation procedure, which is a necessary prerequisite for ratification of the Kampala Amendments. Switzerland took a key role in negotiations before and during the Review Conference in Kampala, including by submitting an important compromise proposal in Kampala, together with Argentina and Brazil (the famous “ABS proposal”). If approved, the ratification could take place in early 2015.
See also the official press release as well as the explanatory report. The report is available in German, French and Italian and could be a useful tool for other States working on ratification.
Government of Slovenia recommends ratification to Parliament: The Slovenian Government approved the Kampala amendments and sent the draft ratification bill to Parliament, which is expected to give its final approval in July (see the official press release in Slovenian). Already last year, Slovenia had incorporated the Kampala definition of the crime of aggression into its domestic criminal code.
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Uruguay to become first Latin American State to ratify: Today the Senate of Uruguay approved the Kampala Amendments. The instrument of ratification is expected to be deposited at the UN by mid-July. The Chamber of Deputies had already unanimously approved the ratification bill in April. Uruguay would thus be the first Latin American State to ratify the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression.
Dip. Felipe Michelini (Frente Amplio), Convenor of the Parliamentarians for Global Action’s International Law and Human Rights Programme stated in this context:
“The Kampala Amendments operationalise the aspirations to end aggression as provided by the Rome Statute. Sixty years after having ratified the London Agreements that provided the legal basis to the Nuremberg Tribunals, Uruguay continues its work in defense of human dignity through law, as law is what defines civilization and denies barbarie.”
Photo © Parliamentarians for Global Action
Botswana – first African State to ratify Kampala amendments: After the President of Botswana, Ian Khama, signed his country’s instrument of ratification at the opening of the workshop on the Kampala amendments for all African States Parties in April, the instrument has now been deposited by Ambassador Charles T. Ntwaagae with the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations. Botswana is the first African State Party and the seventh overall to ratify the amendments. Botswana’s Foreign Minister, P.T.C. Skelemani, has previously reminded African States that “the people of Africa aspire to live in a region free of the fear of aggression.” Botswana also promotes ratification in its region, which forms the largest constituency of the ICC. Ambassador Christian Wenaweser welcomes the continued leadership of Botswana on ICC issues and looks forward to continuing the close cooperation in the ratification campaign. After the ratification by Botswana, another 23 ratifications are needed to allow for the activation of the ICC’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in 2017.
Photo © United Nations / Win Khine
Germany ratifies crime of aggression amendments: On 3 June 2013, Guido Westerwelle, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany deposited his country’s instrument of ratification of the Kampala amendments with the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations. Germany, which had been instrumental for the inclusion of the Crime of Aggression in the Rome Statute, is the sixth State Party to ratify the amendments. Upon activation of the amendments in 2017, the ICC will be the first international court since the International Military Tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo to hold individuals responsible for the crime of aggression. It is by far the largest State to do so yet.
Photo © United Nations / Win Khine
Forum of Small States Briefed about Aggression Amendments: In their presentation to the 110-member strong Forum of Small States (FOSS), Christian Wenaweser and Donald M. Ferencz underscored the special relevance of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression for small States, which are more likely to be the victims of acts of aggression. All 5 States that have ratified the Kampala amendments on the Crime of Aggression to date are members of FOSS, a fact that does not surprise Ambassador Wenaweser, who recalled that it was small States who led the charge for ratifications of the Rome Statute.