UN / BAN ICC

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed regret that in recent days, three African countries have expressed their intent to withdraw from the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He said that South Africa, Burundi, and Gambia’s announcements of their intention to withdraw from the Rome Statue “could send a wrong message on these countries’ commitment to justice.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:00
• Production Date: 28 October 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: BAN KI-MOON
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT - ICC; SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: CRIMINAL JUSTICE
• Geographic Subject: AFRICA; BURUNDI; GAMBIA; SOUTH AFRICA
• MAMS Id: 1759557
• Parent Id: 1759557
• Alternate Title: unifeed161028g

Description

STORY: UN / BAN ICC
TRT: 02.00
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 28 OCTOBER 2016, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

28 OCTOBER 2016, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The world has made enormous strides in building a global system of international criminal justice, with the International Criminal Court as its centrepiece. The ICC and other international tribunals have secured ground-breaking convictions. Yet we know that these and other gains have also been accompanied by setbacks and shortcomings. Prosecutions can take many years. Not all countries accept the ICC’s jurisdiction. Even some of those that do, do not always support the Court fully. And some are concerned that the Court has convicted only Africans despite evidence of crimes in other parts of the world.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General, United Nations:
“In recent days, three African countries have expressed their intent to withdraw from the Court. I regret these steps, which could send a wrong message on these countries’ commitment to justice. These challenges are best addressed not by diminishing support for the Court, but by strengthening it from within. Deterring future atrocities, delivering justice for victims, and defending the rules of war across the globe are far too important priorities to risk a retreat from the age of accountability that we have worked so hard to build and solidify.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today (28 Oct) expressed regret that in recent days, three African countries have expressed their intent to withdraw from the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ban told the Security Council that “the world has made enormous strides in building a global system of international criminal justice, with the International Criminal Court as its centrepiece,” but acknowledged that “some are concerned that the Court has convicted only Africans despite evidence of crimes in other parts of the world.”

The Secretary-General said that South Africa, Burundi, and Gambia’s announcements of their intention to withdraw from the Rome Statue “could send a wrong message on these countries’ commitment to justice.”

He said “these challenges are best addressed not by diminishing support for the Court, but by strengthening it from within.”

Ban added that “deterring future atrocities, delivering justice for victims, and defending the rules of war across the globe are far too important priorities to risk a retreat from the age of accountability that we have worked so hard to build and solidify.”

According to ICC, the withdrawal will only come into effect one year after notification to the Secretary-General, who is the depositary.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the international treaty that founded the Court. It was adopted at the Rome Conference on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002.