Admin l Monday, May 10, 2021
HAGUE, Netherlands – On Friday, 7 May 2021, the Prosecutor of the International criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”), Mrs Fatou Bensouda and her team met with a high-level delegation from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at the Seat of the Court led by H.E. Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Parties agreed to work together to seek justice for the people of Afghanistan.
The full day of productive discussions with the representatives of Afghanistan included the participation of officials from, inter alia, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, the Attorney General’s Office, the Supreme Court and the National Security Department.
The meeting was organised in the context of the Government of Afghanistan’s March 2020 request for the Office to defer its investigation pursuant to article 18(2) of the Rome Statute. At the meeting, detailed presentations provided further insights into investigative steps taken or planned by the national authorities in Afghanistan and an opportunity for the Office to seek clarifications on a number of discussion points.
In stressing the importance of a victims-centred approach, Prosecutor Bensouda and H.E. Minister Atmar on behalf of the Government of Afghanistan pledged to work together to achieve justice for the Afghan people by holding perpetrators of atrocity crimes accountable.
“I have great admiration for the courage and resilience of the people of Afghanistan who have withstood tremendous adversity through decades of conflict and violence. They deserve tangible justice without delay”, stated Prosecutor Bensouda. “I look forward to continuing our constructive exchanges with the Government of Afghanistan, which was exemplified by today’s discussions, as we work towards determining how justice may best be served through joint collaborative efforts with full commitment to our respective independent duties and responsibilities under the Rome Statute”, added the Prosecutor.
H.E. Minister Atmar thanked Prosecutor Bensouda for her commitment stating that “this was a historic and very constructive meeting. The Government of Afghanistan is grateful to the ICC Prosecutor for hosting our high-level delegation to address the investigation and prosecution of all international crimes in Afghanistan” adding that “at this decisive moment for our country’s future, we have made encouraging progress in charting the way forward to ensure that no crimes will go unpunished. With our government’s unwavering commitment to human rights and justice, we are confident that with full cooperation with the Prosecutor, we can jointly advance the cause of justice for all of the victims of the long and devastating conflict.”
H.E. Mr Zabihullah Karimullah, the Attorney General of Afghanistan who also participated at the meeting added: “Our meeting with the ICC Prosecutor was very useful for discussing the constructive ways in which we can cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor and for sharing information about the cases that Afghanistan is investigating and prosecuting at all levels. We look forward to continuing our positive exchanges and collaboration to guarantee that there will be no impunity for international crimes.”
