Odhikar calls for ICC treaty to be ratified
8 August 2008 5:31 am

Odhikar, FORUM-Asia’s member in Bangladesh has called on the Bangladesh government to ratify the International Criminal Court treaty immediately. In 1998, at a special UN conference, Bangladesh played an important role in negotiating the Rome Statute and became one of the first South Asian countries to sign the treaty.

 Odhikar calls for ICC treaty to be ratified

Odhikar, FORUM-Asia’s member in Bangladesh has called on the Bangladesh government to ratify the International Criminal Court treaty immediately.

Bangladesh played an important role in negotiating the Rome Statute in the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court, held in Rome, Italy, from 15 June to 17 July 1998.

The conference was "to finalize and adopt a convention on the establishment of an international criminal court".

Bangladesh became the first South Asian country to sign the treaty, Afghanistan has ratified it, while the Nepali parliament has also asked for its ratification.

Odhikar demanded that Bangladesh should not withhold its signature too long and complete the process of ratification without delay.

Odhikar said that the ratification would be for international justice, ending impunity and to establish internationally the rule of law.

It will also enhance Bangladesh’s image as a country committed to its international obligations, added Odhikar in a press statement issued on 31 July.

The call was made in a discussion held by the organisation on the occasion of International Justice Day.

Odhikar is also the focal point for the South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation campaign on the ICC.

Notes:

The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

The Court came into being on 1 July 2002 — the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, entered into force — and it can only prosecute crimes committed on or after that date.

As of July 2008, 106 states are members of the Court; Suriname and Cook Islands will become states parties on 1 October 2008, bringing the total to 108.

A further 40 countries have signed but not ratified the Rome Statute. However, a number of states, including China, India and the United States, are critical of the Court and have not joined.