Backing for Rome Statute promised

Bangladesh will continue to work for the universal ratification of the Rome Statute, a treaty establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 April 2014, 04:21 PM
Updated : 23 April 2014, 06:38 PM

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali conveyed Bangladesh's sentiments to President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge Sang-Hyun Song in a meeting at the Hague on Wednesday.

Bangladesh had ratified the treaty in 2010, a move that drew Song's appreciation at the meeting.

The ICC President termed it “highly significant”, as the Asia Pacific region was still “the least represented” among countries ratifying the agreement.

Of the 139 States that signed the ICC’s founding treaty, 31 are yet to ratify it, while 43 states have neither signed nor acceded to it till November last year, according to the United Nations.

The UN Chief called for the treaty's universal acceptance.

Established by the Rome Statute of 1998, the ICC can try cases involving individuals charged with war crimes committed since July 2002.

The Security Council, the ICC Prosecutor or a State Party to the court can initiate any proceedings, and the ICC only acts when countries themselves are unwilling or unable to investigate or prosecute.

According to the foreign ministry, the minister and the ICC President discussed “further possible work by Bangladesh...in pursuance of the Rome Statute”.

The two sides also dwelt on the complementary elements of the Rome Statute and Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal Act, 1973.

The ICC authorities praised the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo to facilitate Song's visit to some villages in the country's eastern part.

The ICC offered to further cooperate with Bangladesh in strengthening the victim and witness protection regime.

The foreign minister invited the ICC to attend a National Workshop to be organised on the issue in Dhaka soon.

The minister is currently on a visit to the Hague to attend the “high-level segment” of the Global Oceans Action Summit for Food Security and Blue Growth being jointly organised by the government of the Netherlands, FAO and the World Bank.

He also had meeting with his Dutch counterpart Frans Timmermans on Wednesday.

Bangladesh's Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal was present during the meetings.