Former
Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda (UNICTR) has appealed to President Yahya Jammeh to consider reversing
his decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Hon.
Justice Alhaji Hassan Jallow, who also served as Chief Prosecutor of the United
Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UNMICT) between 2012
and 2016, said African states and The Gambia, in particular, “have very
strongly supported the ICC” and should continue to do so.
In
a press release sent to this paper yesterday, Justice Jallow, a Gambian, said
he was disappointed at the reported decision of the Gambia government to
withdraw from the Rome Statute of ICC.
The
following is the full statement of Justice Jallow:
“I
have learnt with great dismay and disappointment of the reported decision of
the government of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia to withdraw from the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court, ICC.
“The
ICC is today an important court of last resort for victims of international
crimes worldwide. African states and The Gambia, in particular, have very
strongly supported the court. They should continue to do so, to ensure justice
for victims and accountability for perpetrators of international crimes.
“The
challenges which currently confront the ICC and state parties to the Rome
Statute can, in my view, be resolved through a dialogue which will see the
continued engagement of The Gambia and the rest of Africa with the ICC.
“I
appeal very strongly to His Excellency The President Sheikh Professor Alhaji
Yahya Jammeh Babili Mansa and his government to reconsider and reverse the
decision to withdraw The Gambia from the Rome Statute of the ICC.
“I
reiterate the call by the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability, AGIA, of
which I am a member, for Burundi and South Africa to similarly reconsider their
decisions and retain their membership of the Rome Statute.
“I
also believe that the ICC should now initiate a dialogue with the concerned
state parties, and seek a resolution of their concerns in a way that will
promote the cause of justice and accountability globally.
I
appeal to the organs of the ICC to do so. AGIA remains available to facilitate
this process.
27
October 2016, Banjul, The Gambia
Signed:
Hon.
Justice Alhaji Hassan Bubacar Jallow
Attorney
General and Minister of Justice of The Gambia (1984 -1994)
Justice
of Supreme Court of The Gambia, 1998 – 2002
Chief
Prosecutor UNICTR 2003 – 2015
Chief
Prosecutor of the UNMICT – 2012 -2016
Member,
Africa Group for Justice And Accountability, AGIA.