Overview by Emma Bakkum, Senior Research Associate PILPG NL
Immediately following the sixth plenary meeting on the 20thanniversary of the Rome Statute, the General Debate continued with seven NGOs to issue their statements. All NGOs, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), the American Bar Association (ABA), and the Nigerian Coalition for the International Criminal Court reaffirmed their support for the Court. They moreover called upon the ASP to strongly support the Court.
The Human Rights Center/Georgian National Coalition for the International Criminal Court focused on the level of impunity for international crimes committed in Georgia and underlined the need for outreach in the region since there is little available knowledge on the ICC. The Commission Mexicana de defensa y promoción de los Derechos Humanos,emphasized the ongoing crisis in Mexico in relation to the violence and impunity for crimes committed such as drugs trafficking and torture. The Transnational Justice Group called for attention to the situation in Afghanistan and the many victims as a result of the conflict. Its representative stated that the culture of impunity in Afghanistan is one of the reasons for the ongoing conflict. “Let justice not just be a word”, he concluded. The Philippines National Coalition for the International Criminal Court finally challenged the States Parties to speak for justice and condemn those governments who undermine it.