Le Bureau du Procureur

The Office of the Prosecutor

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NEWS Issue#116 27March3April OTP issues decision in relation to its preliminary 2012 examinationofthesituationinPalestine
OTPissuesdecisionin relationtoitspreliminary examinationofthe situationinPalestine

3 April The Office of the Prosecutor issued a decision in relation to its preliminaryexaminationinPalestine. On22January2009,pursuanttoarticle12(3)oftheRomeStatute,AliKhashanactingasMinisterofJusticeofthe GovernmentofPalestinelodgedadeclarationacceptingtheexerciseofjurisdictionbytheInternationalCriminal CourtforactscommittedontheterritoryofPalestinesince1July2002. Inaccordancewitharticle15oftheRomeStatutetheOfficeoftheProsecutorinitiatedapreliminaryexamination inordertodeterminewhetherthereisareasonablebasistoproceedwithaninvestigation.TheOfficeensureda fair process by giving all those concerned the opportunity to present their arguments. The Arab Leagues IndependentFactFindingCommitteeonGazapresenteditsreportduringavisittotheCourt.TheOfficeprovided Palestine with the opportunity to present its views extensively, in both oral and written form. The Office also considered various reports with opposing views. In July 2011, Palestine confirmed to the Office that it had submitteditsprincipalarguments,subjecttothesubmissionofadditionalsupportingdocumentation. The first stage in any preliminary examination is to determine whether the preconditions to the exercise of jurisdictionunderarticle12oftheRomeStatute,aremet.OnlywhensuchcriteriaareestablishedwilltheOffice proceedtoanalyseinformationonallegedcrimesaswellasotherconditionsfortheexerciseofjurisdictionasset outinarticles13and53(1). The jurisdiction of the Court is not based on the principle of universal jurisdiction: it requires that the United Nations Security Council (article 13(b)) or a State (article 12) provide jurisdiction. Article 12 establishes that a StatecanconferjurisdictiontotheCourtbybecomingaPartytotheRomeStatute(article12(1))orbymakingan adhocdeclarationacceptingtheCourtsjurisdiction(article12(3)). The issue that arises, therefore, is who defines what is a State for the purpose of article 12 of the Statute? In accordancewitharticle125,theRomeStatuteisopentoaccessionbyallStates,andanyStateseekingtobecome aPartytotheStatutemustdepositaninstrumentofaccessionwiththeSecretaryGeneraloftheUnitedNations.In instances where it is controversial or unclear whether an applicant constitutes a State, it is the practice of the SecretaryGeneral to follow or seek the General Assemblys directives on the matter. This is reflected in General Assembly resolutions which provide indications of whether the applicant is a State. Thus, competence for determiningthetermStatewithinthemeaningofarticle12rests,inthefirstinstance,withtheUnitedNations SecretaryGeneralwho,incaseofdoubt,willdefertotheguidanceofGeneralAssembly.TheAssemblyofStates Parties of the Rome Statute could also in due course decide to address the matter in accordance with article 112(2)(g)oftheStatute.

Ininterpretingandapplyingarticle12oftheRomeStatute,theOfficehasassessedthatitisfortherelevantbodies attheUnitedNationsortheAssemblyofStatesPartiestomakethelegaldeterminationwhetherPalestinequalifies asaStateforthepurposeofaccedingtotheRomeStatuteandtherebyenablingtheexerciseofjurisdictionbythe Court under Article 12(1). The Rome Statute provides no authority for the Office of the Prosecutor to adopt a method to define the term State under article 12(3) which would be at variance with that established for the purposeofarticle12(1). TheOfficehasbeeninformedthatPalestinehasbeenrecognisedasaStateinbilateralrelationsbymorethan130 governments and by certain international organisations, including United Nation bodies. However, the current statusgrantedtoPalestinebytheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyisthatofobserver,notasaNonmember State.TheOfficeunderstandsthaton23September2011,Palestinesubmittedanapplicationforadmissiontothe UnitedNationsasaMemberStateinaccordancewitharticle4(2)oftheUnitedNationsCharter,buttheSecurity Council has not yet made a recommendation in this regard. While this process has no direct link with the declaration lodged by Palestine, it informs the current legal status of Palestine for the interpretation and applicationofarticle12. TheOfficecouldinthefutureconsiderallegationsofcrimescommittedinPalestineshouldcompetentorgansof theUnitedNationsoreventuallytheAssemblyofStatesPartiesresolvethelegalissuerelevanttoanassessmentof Article12orshouldtheSecurityCouncil,inaccordancewitharticle13(b),makeareferralprovidingjurisdiction.

OTPActivities
OVERVIEW
7situationsunderinvestigation 15casesinrelationto24persons 11outstandingarrestwarrants 8preliminaryexaminationsin4differentcontinents Phases 2casesbeforePreTrialChambers 6casesbeforeTrialChambers 1verdict

I.PreliminaryExaminations

PreliminaryexaminationsrefertotheanalyticalprocessbywhichtheOTPassesseswhetherthereisareasonablebasistoproceedwithan investigationinagivensituation. In accordance with Article 15 of the Statute, the OTP proactively gathers and evaluates information from multiple sources, including communicationsfromindividualsandpartiesconcerned(phase1initialreview).Followingasequentialprocess,andirrespectiveofthe mechanism by which the jurisdiction of the Court is triggered, the Office then applies the same legal criteria laid out in Article 53 of the Statute, namely temporal/territorial/personal jurisdiction (phase 2a), subjectmatter jurisdiction (phase 2b), admissibility, including complementarityandgravity(phase3)andtheinterestsofjustice(phase4). Currently, the OTP is conducting preliminary examinations into eight situations: Palestine (phase 2a), Afghanistan, Honduras, Korea and Nigeria(phase2b),Colombia,GeorgiaandGuinea(Phase3).

II.InvestigationsandProsecutions

1.SituationintheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo(DRC)Referred:April2004InvestigationOpened:June2004
Trials TheProsecutorvThomasLubangaDyilochargedwithwarcrimesofconscripting,enlistingandusingchildrentoactivelyparticipatein hostilitiescommittedintheIturiregion20022003 Status:Judgmentdeliveredon14March2012;partiestopresentviewsontheproceduresandprinciplesonsentenceandreparationsby18 April2012 TheProsecutorvGermainKatangaandMathieuNgudjoloChuichargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthe attackofthevillageofBogorointheIturiregionon24February2003

Status:Defencecasepresentationconcluded,closingoralstatementssettostarton15May2012 ConfirmationofChargesHearing TheProsecutorvCallixteMbarushimanachargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity,includingmassivesexualviolence, committedintheNorthandSouthKivus20092010 Status:PreTrialChamberIdeclinestoconfirmthecharges(16December2011);leavetoappealwasgrantedon1stMarch WarrantPending TheProsecutorvBoscoNtagandachargedwithwarcrimesofconscripting,enlistingandusingchildrentoactivelyparticipateinhostilities committedintheIturiregion20022003 Issued:22August2006

2.SituationinUgandaReferred:January2004Investigationopened:July2004
WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvJosephKonyetal.chargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringLRAsinsurgencyactivitiesin NorthernUganda20022004 Issued: 8 July 2005. On 11 July 2007, PreTrial Chamber I ordered to terminate the proceedings against Raska Lukwiya. On 8 November 2007,theOTPsubmittedinformationtothePTConthereporteddeathofVincentOtti.

3.SituationinDarfur,theSudanReferred:March2005Investigationopened:June2005
Trial TheProsecutorvAbdallahBandaAbakaerNourainandSalehMohammedJerboJamuschargedwithwarcrimescommittedduringanattack againsttheHaskanitaAUpeacekeepingbaseinNorthDarfuron29September2007 Status:Chargesconfirmed,trialdatetobeset Prosecutiontopresentadditionalevidence TheProsecutorvBaharIdrissAbuGardachargedwithwarcrimescommittedduringanattackagainsttheHaskanitaAUpeacekeepingbase inNorthDarfuron29September2007 WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvOmarAlBashirchargedwithwarcrimes,crimesagainsthumanityandgenocidecommittedaspartofthecounter insurgencycampaigninDarfur20032008(atleast) Issued:4March2009&12July2010 TheProsecutorvAliKushaybandAhmadHarunchargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringtheattacks againstthecivilianpopulationinDarfurAugust2003March2004 Issued:27February2007 TheProsecutorvAbdelRaheemMuhammadHusseinchargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringattacksagainst thecivilianpopulationinDarfurAugust2003March2004 Issued:1March2012

4.SituationintheCentralAfricanRepublic(CAR)Referred:January2005Investigationopened:May2007
Trial TheProsecutorvJeanPierreBembaGombochargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity,includingamassiverapecampaign, committedinCARbetween26October200215March2003 stMarch2012. Status:Prosecutionhascompletedthepresentationofitscaseonthe21

5.SituationinKenyaOTPrequesttostartinvestigation:November2009Investigationopened:March2010
Trials TheProsecutorvWilliamSamoeiRutoandJoshuaArapSangchargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthepostelectoral violenceinKenyaonorabout30December2007endJanuary2008 Status: Case sent to trial on 23 January 2012, date of trial to be set (charges were not confirmed against Henri Kosgey, but the OTP will presentadditionalevidence) TheProsecutorvFrancisKirimiMuthauraandUhuruMuigaiKenyattachargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthepost electoralviolenceinKenya2428January2008 Status:Casesenttotrialon23January2012,dateoftrialtobeset(chargeswerenotconfirmedagainstMohammedAli,buttheOTPwill presentadditionalevidence)

29MarchThePresidencyoftheICCissuedadecisionontheconstitutionofTrialChamberVandreferredtoitthecasesin thesituationinKenya:TheProsecutorv.WilliamSamoeiRutoandJoshuaArapSangandTheProsecutorv.FrancisKirimiMuthaura andUhuruMuigaiKenyatta. Trial Chamber V is composed of Judge Christine Van den Wyngaert, Judge Kuniko Ozaki and JudgeChileEboeOsuji. 6.SituationinLibyaReferred:February2011Investigationopened:March2011
WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvSaifAlIslamGaddafiandAbdullahAlSenussichargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringattacksonthe civilianpopulationbytheLibyanSecurityForces15Februaryatleast28February2011 Issued:27June2011;PreTrialChamberIorderedtheterminationofthecasetheProsecutorv.MuammarGaddafi,afterProsecutionrequest(22 November2011)

7.SituationinCtedIvoireOTPrequesttostartinvestigation:June2011Investigationopened:October2011
Warrantexecuted The Prosecutor v Laurent Gbagbo charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed after the November 2010 Ivorian elections. Issued:23November2011(underseal) Status:initialappearanceon5December2011;confirmationofchargeshearingsetfor18June2012

III.ArrestsCooperation
10PERSONSSOUGHTBYTHECOURT

TheProsecutorv BoscoNtaganda(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:DRC,inandaroundGoma TheProsecutorv JosephKonyetal(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:variously,atdifferenttimes,intheborderareabetweenDRC,CARandSouthSudan TheProsecutorv SaifAlIslamGaddafiandAbdullahAlSenussi (moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Libya TheProsecutorv AhmedHarunandAliKushayb (moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:SouthKordofan,Sudan(A.Harun) Sudan(A.Kushayb) TheProsecutorv OmarHassanAhmadAlBashir(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Khartoum,Sudan TheProsecutorvAbdelRaheemMuhammadHussein(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Khartoum,Sudan

IV.OtherCooperation

30 March Deputy Prosecutor Bensouda gave a special address during the International Criminal Bars Journes dtude Assembling the Defence, held in Geneva, in a speech entitled 10th Anniversarys analysis and prospects. The Deputy Prosecutor said: ThefirsttrialdemonstratedthattheICCwilldoitsparttobringjusticetovictimsofthemostseriouscrimeswhile guaranteeing a fair trial to the accused. The concept of a fair trial is a cornerstone of the ICC. The Statute provides for numerous guaranteesfortherightsoftheDefenceaswellasvictimsasanotherimportantcomponentofafairtrial.()TheOfficehasencountered various legal and operational challenges during the investigation and prosecution of this first case, but the jurisprudence developed therefromhashelpedgiveclarityandpracticalmeaningtothetermsoftheStatuteandtheRulesofProcedureandEvidence.Ithasgiven manylessonstoourOfficetoachievesuccessfulinvestigationsandprosecutionswhileensuringrespectfortherightsoftheDefenceanda fairtrial.TheDeputyProsecutorconcluded:Wehavearrivedatacrucialjunctureinthehistoryofthisyoungglobalinstitution:the closingofitsfirsttrials.ThesearefundamentaltoreinforcethelegalsystemcreatedbytheRomeStatute,andgiveitmorelegitimacyaswe continue our work. It will also allow us to be even more efficient and effective in conducting judicial proceedings, as the jurisprudence establishedbythejudgesandthepoliciesandbestpracticesproducedbyourinvestigativeandprosecutorialexperienceswillhavehelpedus todoourworkbetterandfaster.

V.UpcomingEvents

April
2 Prosecutorholds bilateral meetings,New York 9 6 7 1 8

3 Prosecutor holdsbilateral meetings,New York 10 Deputy Prosecutor deliversMuller Lectureonthe ICC,peaceand security, organizedby The Netherlands Societyfor International Affairs,The Hague 17 Deputy Prosecutorholds bilateral meetings,Bern 24

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12 Deputy Prosecutor deliversRobert JacksonKeynote addressatthe conference Africaand International Law:Taking stockandmoving forwardat AlbanyLaw School,NY

13 Deputy Prosecutor Bensoudaspeaks attheBoston University Centerfor Finance,Lawand Policy,Boston

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VI.OtherInformation

3 AprilTheOfficeoftheProsecutordecidedtoextendthedeadlineforapplicationsforthepositionofDeputyProsecutor (Prosecution)for2additionalweeks,until15April2012.

*ThisdocumentreflectstheviewsoftheOfficeoftheProsecutoroftheICC.Formoreinformation,contactMrs.OliviaSwaakGoldman,InternationalCooperationAdviser intheOfficeoftheProsecutor,atOlivia.SwaakGoldman@icccpi.int