LFJL Recommendations to the 16th Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute

Lawyers for Justice in Libya (LFJL) is pleased to share its recommendations for the16th session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the International Criminal Court (ICC or the Court). In doing so, LFJL has prioritised matters that it believes are essential to ensure the effectiveness of the ICC in pursuing accountability in Libya, including the essential role that States Parties should play in the implementation of this mandate.

The 16th session will take place in New York from 4 to 14 December 2017. During the session, the ASP will consider matters fundamental to the Court’s functioning, including electing six new judges and holding a General Debate on the ICC and the key issues it faces. The ASP will also consider reports from the ICC Principals (President, Prosecutor and Registrar), hold plenary discussions on cooperation, adopt the 2018 budget for the ICC, as well as consider a number of resolutions on matters such as cooperation, complementarity, and universality. The ASP will provide States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC (the States Parties) with the opportunity to reflect on and debate challenges faced by the ICC, while taking actions to reaffirm their commitment, and promote global support for the ICC.

Earlier this month, the Prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, (the Prosecutor) presented her 14th report to the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the situation in Libya. The Prosecutor confirmed her commitment to prioritise investigations in Libya in 2018 and to monitor the recent and ongoing crimes committed in the country. Member States of the UN Security Council largely welcomed this statement and stressed the importance of ending impunity in Libya as well as the need for the ICC to have the necessary resources to uphold its mandates. States Parties at the ASP will have the opportunity to uphold the Prosecutor’s renewed commitment to prioritise investigations in Libya in 2018.

This paper sets out LFJL’s five recommendations the ASP must consider at its 16th session.