Five new judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were sworn in today.
The judges were elected last December 2011 at the last session of the assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.
Judges Howard Morrison of United Kingdom, Anthony T. Carmona of Trinidad and Tobago, Olga Herrera Carbuccia of Dominican Republic, Robert Fremr of Czech Republic and Chile Eboe-Osuji of Nigeria will serve nine-year terms in the court.
The ICC courth is based in The Hague.
Judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago of the Philippines, who was also elected in December, was not available to take the oath of office today and will be sworn in at a later date.
“As existing and new judges, we will all work together to reinforce the rule of law and continue to develop a system of international criminal justice of which the ICC and its States Parties can be proud.” -ICC President Hudge Sang-Hyun Song
The ICC president says that the judges must always remember the countless people around the world, especially the victims and vulnerable, who look to ICC with hope and expectation for a better, more just future.
While the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent organization, its relationship and cooperation with the United Nations have continued to be as vital as ever.
The common objectives of the two institutions include the prevention and punishment of serious international crimes, the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security, and guaranteeing lasting respect for and enforcement of international law.
The ICC is the world’s first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.