Review Conference of the International Criminal Court Statute
Encyclopedia
A Review Conference of the Rome Statute took place from 31 May to 11 June 2010, in Kampala, Uganda to consider amendments to the treaty that founded the International Criminal Court
.
The International Criminal Court
was established in 2002 by the Rome Statute
as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals accused of the most serious crimes of international concern. The Rome Statute provided that a review conference be held seven years after the entry into force, which happened in July 2002.
Two amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
were adopted. The first one is to extend the jurisdiction of the Court over some war crimes committed in non-international conflicts for which it already had jurisdiction if committed in international conflicts. The second one defines the crime of aggression and lays out conditions for the jurisdiction of the Court to be in force.
The transitional provision of Article 124 regarding the war crimes opt-out was also discussed at the review conference but it was decided to retain it for the time being.
There was some disagreement as to whether the amendment relating to the definition of the crime of aggression needs ratification by seven eighths of the states parties (as a change of institutional provisions would) to enter into force or if it comes only in force for those countries that have ratified it (as a change of crime provisions would and as the amendment itself puts it). With the latter view prevailing, the Security Council could also refer to the Court a situation regarding a crime of aggression allegedly committed by a national of a non-state party.
to defer an investigation should also be given to the United Nations General Assembly
. This followed the African Union's unsuccessful attempt to defer the investigation in Darfur.
specifically called for drug trafficking to be included in the list of crimes.
television
media company, ITN, wrote to the UK government in 2007 asking them to support an amendment to the definition of war crimes to include the intentional targeting of journalists.
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
.
The International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
was established in 2002 by the Rome Statute
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court . It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and it entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of 13 October 2011, 119 states are party to the statute...
as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals accused of the most serious crimes of international concern. The Rome Statute provided that a review conference be held seven years after the entry into force, which happened in July 2002.
Scope of Conference
The Review Conference considered amendments to the Rome Statute and the Statute made specific reference to reviewing the list of crimes within the court's jurisdiction. The final resolution when the Rome Statute was signed specifically recommended that the review should reconsider including drug trafficking and terrorism in the list of crimes, and also agreeing on a definition of aggression so that the court can exercise its jurisdiction over this crime.Two amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court must be proposed, adopted, and ratified in accordance with articles 121 and 122 of the Statute....
were adopted. The first one is to extend the jurisdiction of the Court over some war crimes committed in non-international conflicts for which it already had jurisdiction if committed in international conflicts. The second one defines the crime of aggression and lays out conditions for the jurisdiction of the Court to be in force.
The transitional provision of Article 124 regarding the war crimes opt-out was also discussed at the review conference but it was decided to retain it for the time being.
There was some disagreement as to whether the amendment relating to the definition of the crime of aggression needs ratification by seven eighths of the states parties (as a change of institutional provisions would) to enter into force or if it comes only in force for those countries that have ratified it (as a change of crime provisions would and as the amendment itself puts it). With the latter view prevailing, the Security Council could also refer to the Court a situation regarding a crime of aggression allegedly committed by a national of a non-state party.
General Assembly
In November 2009, South Africa floated a proposal at the Assembly of States Party that the power of the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
to defer an investigation should also be given to the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
. This followed the African Union's unsuccessful attempt to defer the investigation in Darfur.
Drug Trafficking
In September 2007, Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
specifically called for drug trafficking to be included in the list of crimes.
Targeting of Journalists
The BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
media company, ITN, wrote to the UK government in 2007 asking them to support an amendment to the definition of war crimes to include the intentional targeting of journalists.