MEDIA ADVISORY April 5, 2002
Global criminal court about to become a reality

Canadian officials and NGO representatives will join celebrations next week in New York and Ottawa to mark the 60th ratification of the treaty creating an International Criminal Court (ICC). Canadians have played a leading role in the global campaign to create the ICC. It is widely expected that the 60th ratification of the treaty creating an International Criminal Court will be deposited at the UN on April 11.

Once established, the Court will be based in The Hague, the Netherlands, and will investigate and prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It will act only as a court of last resort, taking cases when domestic courts are unable or unwilling to do so.

On March 21, Panama deposited its instrument of ratification at the UN, thus becoming the 56th state to ratify the treaty, known officially as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. A number of other states are reported by the international ICC Coalition to have completed or be nearing completion of their ratification processes. On April 11 a group of states will together share the distinction of being the 60th to ratify.

The deposit of the 60th instrument of ratification will trigger the treaty's entry into force, which, according to a timetable set forth in the Rome Statute, will commence on July 1, 2002. The Court will have jurisdiction forward from July 1. Following entry into force, states parties will begin the process of adopting rules, nominating and electing judges and prosecutors, and staffing the Court's interim headquarters. It will take a year or more before the Court is ready to hear cases.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called the Rome Statute "a gift of hope for future generations." With entry into force of the treaty, the international community will have taken a major step toward ending impunity for the worst violations of international humanitarian law.

For information on Canadian NGO activities April 11, contact: Fergus Watt,
Canadian Network for an ICC (613-232-0647)

Canadian non-governmental spokespersons on the International Criminal Court

Warren Allmand, President of Rights & Democracy (R&D), based in Montreal. R&D is a member of the Steering Committee for the international Coalition for an ICC and also one of the partner organizations of ICCTAP (ICC Technical Assistance Programme), which has convened regional meetings around the world promoting ratification and implementation of the ICC treaty.
Telephone: 514-283-6073

Lloyd Axworthy, is current Director and CEO of the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues at the University of British Columbia and was Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs during negotiation of the Rome Statute for an International Criminal Court.
Telephone: 604-822-1593

Barbara Bedont, a lawyer now based in Montreal has since 1997 been a leading member of the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice in the ICC, a group working to ensure the effective pursuit of crimes of sexual and gender violence by the ICC.
Telephone: (mobile) 917-476-2323

Bruce Broomhall, a Canadian, is Director of the International Justice Program at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, a New York-based Steering Committee member of the Coalition for an ICC. He works in particular on the stance of the government of the United States towards the ICC, and on the impact of the ICC on domestic legal systems.
Telephone: (mobile) 917-443-8388

Frances Gordon is Executive Director of the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLR) at the University of British Columbia. ICCLR is managing partner of ICCTAP, the ICC Technical Assistance Programme, which has convened regional meetings around the world promoting ratification and implementation of the ICC treaty. In addition to Ms. Gordon, ICCLR staff available for comment on the 60th ratification of the ICC treaty include Daniel Prefontaine, ICC Program Director and Joanne Lee, ICCLR Research Associate.
Telephone: 604-822-9875

Elise Groulx, a Montreal lawyer is President of the International Criminal Defence Attorneys Association and a leading advocate of the creation of a International Criminal Bar, an international bar association for the ICC.
Telephone: Home (until April 10) 514-933-9119; Mobile (April 10 to 19) 514-577-0772

David Matas, a Winnipeg lawyer and one of Canada's leading human rights advocates was an NGO member of the Canadian Delegation to the Rome Treaty Conference for an International Criminal Court.
Telephone: 204-944-1831

Alex Neve is Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. Amnesty International has been one of the leading participants in the international Coalition for an ICC.
Telephone: 613-744-7667

Sam Nutt is Executive Director of WarChild Canada, an organization promoting the rights of war-affected children. WarChild Canada recently sponsored a national youth conference on the ICC.
Telephone: 613-562-3334

Fergus Watt is Executive Director of the World Federalists of Canada (WFC), the agency which has, since 1996 administered the Canadian Network for an ICC. The Canadian Network is also a participating agency in the ICC Technical Assistance Programme, which has convened regional meetings around the world promoting ratification and implementation of the ICC treaty.
Telephone: 613-232-0647

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For information on the UN treaty ratification event and press briefing, contact:

Coalition for an International Criminal Court (Tel.: 212-687-2176)
William R. Pace, CICC Convenor (email: cdil@igc.org)
AdeleWaugaman, Media Liaison (email: ciccmedia@iccnow.org)

UN Department of Information (Tel.: 212-963-0499)
Ellen McGuffie (email: mediainfo@un.org)