ICC 10 year birthday emphasises need for Darfur justice

9.30.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Jul 2008

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is vital in achieving justice for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, when the national judicial authorities have refused to investigate or prosecute.

This week the ICC's chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo called for Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir to be arrested for crimes committed in Darfur.

Commenting on the anniversary, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman and London MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford said:

"The best way to mark this landmark is to refuse to let political considerations derail the pursuit of justice for victims. Peace cannot be built on the basis of impunity for horrific crimes."

'Some of those arguing that Bashir's indictment should be dropped are sincere but misguided. Others however, like China, seem motivated only by an unprincipled desire for access to oil and minerals."

ENDS