GA / ICC

On the recent announcements from three African countries of withdrawals from the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court (ICC) reaffirmed the importance of the continued commitment of states and the international community to bring perpetrators of crime into justice, adding that it is essential that states participation in the treaty is “maintained and enlarged”. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:24
• Production Date: 31 October 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT - ICC
• Subject Topical: INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURTS
• MAMS Id: 1761105
• Parent Id: 1761105
• Alternate Title: unifeed161031b

Description

STORY: GA / ICC
TRT: 01:24
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRCITIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 31 OCTOBER 2016, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
2. Wide shot, Judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi approaching the podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, President, International Criminal Court:
“I wish to reaffirm the importance of the continued commitment of States and the international community to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes and to protect victims across the world.”
4. Wide shot, General Assembly Hall
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, President, International Criminal Court:
“The Court was not created to replace or compete with States. On the contrary, States have the duty and indeed the right to investigate and prosecute these crimes themselves in the first place. The role of the Court is to provide justice only when States fail to do so.”
6. Wide shot, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, President, International Criminal Court:
“In order to bring perpetrators of crimes to justice and protect victims across the world equally, it is essential that support for the Court remains strong and States' participation in the Rome Statute is maintained and enlarged.”
8. Wide shot, General Assembly

Storyline

Following the recent announcements from three African countries of their intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court (ICC) reaffirmed the importance of the continued commitment of states and the international community to bring perpetrators of crime into justice, adding that it is essential that states participation in the treaty is “maintained and enlarged."

Speaking to delegates today (31 Oct) in New York, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi said that the court was not created to “replace or compete with States”, on the contrary, “states have the duty and indeed the right to investigate and prosecute these crimes themselves in the first place.”

She added that the role of the court is to provide justice “only when states fail to do so.”

As the work of the court continues, Gurmendi reiterated “in order to bring perpetrators of crimes to justice and protect victims across the world equally, it is essential that support for the court remains strong and states participation in the Rome Statute is maintained and enlarged.”

In recent days, South Africa, Burundi and Gambia have expressed their intent to withdraw from the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court.

According to ICC, the withdrawal will only come into effect one year after the official notification.

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.