Monthly News Updates: International Criminal Court – March 2022
By: Claire Kaula, Junior Research Associate, PILPG-NL
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor opened the investigation into the Situation in Ukraine and submitted an application for arrest warrants in the Situation in Georgia. Additionally, in the Situation in the Central African Republic II, the authorities of the Republic of Chad surrendered Mr. Mokom to the ICC.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
Release of the fifth edition of the ICC Chamber Manual
The ICC released the fifth edition of the ICC Chambers Practice Manual. The new edition adds a new section on the transmission of the records of the proceedings and a new model to provide directions for trial conduct. The manual also includes a revised procedure for admission of victims’ applications to participate in all stages of proceedings. [March 25, 2022]
ICC issues statement for International Women’s Day
The ICC commemorated International Women’s Day by releasing a statement supporting “global action to advance gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.” The ICC described what the Court itself is doing to further promote women’s rights. This includes taking a gender perspective in ICC proceedings and improving gender equality in ICC operations by appointing a Focal Point for Gender and working on a draft Strategy on Gender Equality and Workplace Culture. [March 8, 2022]
ICC Deputy Prosecutors sworn in
On March 7, Nazhat Shameen Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal were sworn in as the ICC’s new Deputy Prosecutors. They began their nine year term on March 8, 2022. ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan welcomed the two new Deputy Prosecutors and remarked that this was an important step in the ICC Office of the Prosecutor revitalization process. [March 7, 2022]
EUROPE
Ukraine & Poland | ICC Prosecutor visits Ukraine and Poland
ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan visited Ukraine and Poland on March 16 and 17 with the purpose of supporting the investigation into the Situation in Ukraine. Prosecutor Khan met with Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, Prosecutor-General,d Iryna Venediktova, and virtually met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskye. Prosecutor Khan also met with individuals who fled due to the hostilities taking place in Ukraine. In Prosecutor Khan’s statement on the visit, he emphasized the difficulty of this investigation and requested voluntary financial contributions from ICC States Parties. [March 16, 2022]
Ukraine | Investigation into the Situation in Ukraine opens
The investigation into the Situation in Ukraine opened on March 2 after 39 ICC States Parties referred the Situation to the Office of the Prosecutor. As of March 11, 41 ICC States Parties had referred the Situation of Ukraine to the ICC. The Office of the Prosecutor’s investigation team is currently conducting the investigation on the ground. To aid the investigation, the Office established a portal where anyone with relevant information may contact the investigators. [March 11, 2022]
Georgia | Prosecutor requests three arrest warrants regarding the Situation in Georgia
ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan filed an application for three arrest warrants for the Russian officials Lieutenant General Mikhail Mayramovich Mindzaev, Gamlet Guchmazov, and David Georgiyevich Sanakoev. The Office of the Prosecutor determined there are reasonable grounds to believe that these individuals committed war crimes in Georgia in August 2008 in the context of an international armed conflict. In Prosecutor Khan’s announcement, he drew parallels between the patterns of conduct observed in the Situation in Georgia and those emerging in the preliminary examination into the Situation in Ukraine. [March 10, 2022]
AFRICA
Central African Republic | Mr. Mokom surrendered to the ICC
On March 14, authorities of the Republic of Chad surrendered Maxine Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka to the ICC. The Pre-Trial Chamber II issued the warrant for his arrest in 2018 after finding reasonable grounds to suspect that Mr. Mokom committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Central African Republic between 2013 to 2014. On March 22, Mr. Mokum made his first appearance before the ICC. [March 22, 2022]