OTP preliminary examination in Georgia: ICC Prosecutor receives Georgian Justice Minister

OTP preliminary examination in Georgia: ICC Prosecutor receives Georgian Justice Minister

ICC-OTP-20100319-PR507

Image ICC Prosecutor meets with senior officials of the Republic of Georgia @ICC-CPI

The Hague, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo met, on 18 March, with a delegation from the Republic of Georgia headed by Minister of Justice Mr. Zurab Adeishvili and First Deputy Minister of Justice, Ms. Tina Burjalini. Accompanying the delegation was Dr. Payam Akhavan, Professor at McGill University in Canada and legal Counsel for the government of Georgia.

“The Rome Statute is supported by 110 States, including Georgia, committed to use the rule of law to protect their citizens from massive crimes” said Prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo.

“We welcome Georgia’s ongoing cooperation with my Office and the prospect that Georgian institutions could operate with the Court in a complementary way” he added. “These are two core principles of the Rome system”.

The Georgian delegation visited the Office of the Prosecutor as part of regular consultations undertaken since the situation in Georgia has been the subject of the OTP’s preliminary examination. The Office assesses all issues pertaining to its jurisdiction and to the admissibility of cases potentially arising from the situation in Georgia.

The delegation presented Georgia’s views on the alleged crimes perpetrated during the armed conflict that took place in Georgia, in August 2008, including forced displacement of civilians. They also briefed the Prosecutor on the ongoing national investigations in Georgia into grave violations committed by all parties to the conflict.

Georgia has been a State Party to the Rome Statute since 5 September 2003. As such the ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide possibly committed in the territory of Georgia. Russia, a State not Party to the Rome Statute, has to date sent 3, 817 communications to the OTP relating to the situation in Georgia.

The OTP paid a visit to Georgia in November 2008. In consultation with the Georgian authorities, a new visit has been tentatively planned for June 2010.

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For more information, please contact:

OTP Public Information Officer Nicola Fletcher
[email protected]
+31 (0) 70 515 8071 (office)
+31 (0) 650 890 473 (mobile)

OTP Public Information Officer Florence Olara
[email protected]
+31 (0) 70 515 8723 (office)
+31 (0) 6 5029 4476 (mobile)

Source: Bureau du Procureur