ICC staves off Africa-led rebellion, sets sights on new HQ

The International Criminal Court staved off a veiled African-led threat to quit the world’s only permanent war crimes court, but experts say that has come at the expense of justice for the victims of mass atrocities.

Tensions flared last week at the nine-day Assembly of States Parties (ASP) over Kenya, which is embroiled in a bitter tussle with the ICC over efforts to prosecute its two top leaders, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.

As delegates pack their bags, the court is now turning its attention to moving into its new permanent premises on the other side of The Hague, only steps away from the detention cells where defendants are held.

“This meeting… has left a lot of people disappointed,” said Janet Anderson, writing on the Justice Hub website.

“Much of the debate and discussion was about efforts by the Kenyan delegation to get the ASP to discuss and agree on a rule concerning using witness testimony,” she said.

“Shouldn’t the meeting be about more than that, about the victims who need justice and about getting the court to run well?” she asked.