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Support for the International Criminal Court (ICC)



Martin Hasler
Division for Security and Human Rights
Office for Foreign Affairs, Principality of Liechtenstein
martin.hasler@llv.li


Yes

  • Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick continued her activities as the head of the Informal Ministerial Network supporting the ICC politically.
  • In her statement at the Human Rights Council in February 2016, Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick regretted the failed referral of the situation in Syria to the ICC and emphasised that other ways to ensure accountability must be found.
  • In December 2016, Liechtenstein successfully initiated the resolution “International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to Assist in the Investigation and Prosecution of Those Responsible for the Most Serious Crimes under International Law Committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011” in the UN General Assembly in order to ensure accountability for war crimes in Syria.
  • Liechtenstein led the campaign for ratification of the Kampala Amendments to the Rome Statute defining the crime of aggression with success: As per 30 June 2017, 34 States have ratified the Amendments (30 were necessary).
  • In order to facilitate the decision on activating the Kampala Amendments at the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute, Liechtenstein organised a seminar for all State Parties in June 2016 at Princeton University. Additionally, Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick chaired a high-level discussion on the Kampala Amendments at the fringes of the UN General Assembly in September 2016.
  • Liechtenstein raised the ratification of the Rome Statute and the Kampala Amendments in bilateral meetings with the following States: Colombia, Azerbaijan, Sweden, India, Hungary, Malta, Ecuador, Senegal, Canada, Denmark, Iceland.