The European Union (EU) has been challenged to make a global commitment that independent and universal justice be the norm, wherever Rome Statute crimes are committed.
The remarks have been made by Ms. Virginie Amato the Head of Advocacy and programme at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) as the organization marked the European Union Day against impunity on May 23.
Since 2016, May, 23rd marks the annual EU Day Against Impunity for Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes across the globe.
The 8th EU Day against impunity like other commemorations is aimed at raising awareness of the most heinous crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes.
Ms. Amato noted that 25 years after the adoption of the ICC Rome Statute, the cutting-edge universal justice standards by the European Union were long overdue.
“On this EU Day against Impunity, 25 years after the adoption of the ICC Rome Statute, the European Union has an opportunity to set the standard,” said Ms. Amato.
In 2022, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (EUROJUST) revealed that new investigations on core international crimes had increased by 44% since 2016.
However, the court has been called out by some African leaders for mostly going after war criminals on the continent as compared to the Western world.
Some African leaders who have been summoned by ICC include former Sudan president, Omar Al Bashir and ex-Kenya president Uhuru Kenyatta among others.
In Uganda, Mr. Dominic Ongwen, a former commander with the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) was convicted by the ICC of crimes against humanity in connection with a two-decade civil war in Northern Uganda led by Joseph Kony and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Likewise, Kony himself has since been indicted and the prosecution has since applied to the ICC to have him tried in absentia. The justices are yet to make their ruling on whether to try him in absentia or not.
Intensifying efforts to work towards ending impunity for core international crimes is the theme for this year’s EU Day Against Impunity (EUDAI).
