14 december 2020

Martijn van Helvert stelt statement op over sancties VS tegen het Internationaal Strafhof (ICC)

- English below - 

Het Internationaal Strafhof (ICC) is door de Amerikaanse overheid gesanctioneerd. Tweede Kamerlid Martijn van Helvert heeft een verklaring opgesteld die stelt dat deze Amerikaanse sancties de internationale rechtsorde niet ten goede komen. Martijn van Helvert roept parlementariërs van lidstaten van het ICC wereldwijd op om het statement te ondertekenen.

''Als parlementariërs hebben wij een belangrijke verplichting om de beginselen en plichten die in het Statuut van Rome zijn vastgelegd, te handhaven. Wij vragen de Amerikaanse regering om met het Internationaal Strafhof te blijven praten over meningsverschillen in plaats van het Hof te sanctioneren. We doen een beroep op onze Amerikaanse collega's om hun regering op te roepen het ICC te beschermen, want alleen door internationale samenwerking in plaats van verdeeldheid kunnen we bijdragen aan de bescherming van de internationale op regels gebaseerde orde.'' aldus Martijn van Helvert.

Het statement kan hieronder worden gelezen. Ondertekenen kan door een e-mail te versturen naar [email protected]. Ook andere steunbetuigingen of vragen kunnen naar dit adres worden gestuurd.

- English version - 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been sanctioned by the U.S. administration. MP Martijn van Helvert from The Netherlands has issued a statement that argues that the sanctions do not benefit the international rule based order. MP Van Helvert calls on parliamentarians from member states of the ICC worldwide to sign the statement.

MP Van Helvert says: ''We as parliamentarians have an important obligation to uphold the principles and duties laid down in the Rome Statute. We ask the U.S. government to continue to engage with the ICC in talks on disagreements instead of sanctioning the ICC. We appeal to our U.S. colleagues to call on their government to protect the ICC, because only through international cooperation instead of disunity, we can help protect the international rule based order.''

The statement can be found below. Parliementarians who want to sign the statement, or others who want to support the statement, can do so by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Please also contact this e-mailaddress for other inquiries. 

- Statement - 

Joint statement on the ICC from the alliance of MP’s who support the international rule based order


On the 11th of June, 2020 U.S. president Donald Trump issued an executive order that installed sanctions and visa restrictions against personnel of the International Criminal Court1. The U.S. administration intensified the pressure on the ICC by instituting sanctions on the Head Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and the head of the Office of the Prosecutor’s Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division, Phakiso Mochochoko2. The sanctions against top ICC officials freeze any assets they might have in areas subject to U.S. law. Moreover, a ban on entering the United States for members of the International Criminal Court as well as their families is part of these imposed sanctions.


The International Criminal Court, as an independent and impartial judicial institution, only steps in when national authorities are unwilling or unable to do so and is thus a court of last resort. Hence, these sanctions are an unacceptable attack on the Court’s independent and objective rule of law and impartial judicial proceedings. Not only are the sanctions an attempt to interfere with the rule of law but they are also an attack against the interests of victims of barbarous crimes of international concern.


On the 23rd of June 2020, 67 countries issued a joint statement that reaffirmed their “unwavering support for the court as an independent and impartial judicial institution,” and that these countries are “undeterred by any measures or threats against the court, its officials, and those cooperating with it.”3. The intergovernmental response was clear and swift, but as parliamentarians we too have an important obligation to uphold the principles and duties laid down in the Rome Statute4.


Accordingly, we as parliamentarians, remain committed to an international rule-based order in which the ICC plays an indispensable role as part of international justice. In the fight against impunity and the pursuit of justice, as a base for peace, security and reconciliation, full cooperation of all States is of fast importance. Thus, we will continue to respect, support and fully cooperate with the Court so that justice can be served to all victims. We ask the U.S. government to continue to engage with the ICC in talks on disagreements instead of sanctioning them. We appeal to our U.S. colleagues to call on their government to protect the ICC.


Martijn van Helvert MP, The Netherlands


1 www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-blocking-property-certain-persons-associated-international-criminal-court/
2 home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20200902
3 onu.delegfrance.org/We-remain-committed-to-an-international-rules-based-order
4 www.icc-cpi.int/Publications/Rome-Statute.pdf
 

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