International Criminal Court Judges Elected Feb 3

International Criminal Court Judges Elected Feb 3

International Criminal Court Elects First Bench Eighteen Judges to be Elected in February 3 - 7 Meeting of the Assembly of States Parties

(New York, January 31, 2003) - The NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) welcomes the first resumed session of the Assembly of States Parties of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ASP), taking place February 3 - 7 at U.N. headquarters in New York. During this meeting, the ASP will conduct the election of the first 18 judges to the International Criminal Court (ICC) from amongst nominees from 43 nations.

The CICC has waged an unprecedented campaign to promote greater representation, awareness and accountability in the upcoming international election of judges to the ICC. The CICC has also successfully promoted the adoption of voting procedures ensuring regional, legal system, and gender representation. "While not eliminating the terrible vote-trading practices of governments, the improved procedures, and the NGO campaign to promote transparency in the elections will, we hope, improve the chances of the most qualified candidates," said William Pace, Convenor of the more than 1,000 member CICC.

The ASP will also decide on new procedures for choosing the first Prosecutor, which the CICC expects will be decided by April 23, 2003 at the close of the second resumed session of the ASP.

Coalition members support the ASP governments' expected decision to postpone the selection of the Prosecutor until after the election of judges. "This separation of the two elections will reduce the politicization of the process and will, we hope, allow for the identification of very highly qualified nominees," said Mr. Pace.

During the February 3 - 7 meeting, the ASP is expected to receive reports from The Netherlands in its capacity as host government of the ICC and from the nascent ICC, which came into existence on July 1, 2002, and currently consists of more than 25 international civil servants who have been hired to establish the new court. Mr. Bruno Cathala was appointed to Director of Common Services of the ICC following his tenure as Deputy Registrar at the International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), also located in The Hague.

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About the NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court The NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is a global network of well over 1,000 members working together to support a permanent, fair and independent International Criminal Court. Established in 1995, the CICC is the leading online provider of information regarding the ICC.