ACTION ALERT !!!
MAY 2000
Dear friends,
We urgently need your help immediately to ensure that the efforts of some states
to weaken the International Criminal Court, including the Court's ability to
prosecute violence against women, is not successful.
The final session of the ICC Preparatory Commission will take place June 12 to
30. This is the last session and it will determine for a long time whether the
crimes are defined and the rules drafted in a way that will ensure the effective
prosecution of gender crimes. Please help now!
We expect that provisions of fundamental concern to the Women’s Caucus will be
sharply contested at this final negotiation. The Vatican and a number of Arab
League countries have made clear their effort to limit the Court’s
jurisdiction over gender crimes. The United States is seeking adoption of a rule
which would lay the foundation for Security Council control over the Court’s
exercise of its jurisdiction. Similar efforts were rejected in Rome but only
after a very tough battle. Some countries are currently starting to weaken in
the face of pressure from the U.S. Once again, it is critical that governments
realize that they are being closely watched.
Below is a draft letter which we urge you to send to Foreign, Justice and/or
Women’s Ministers and others of influence urging support for the main
recommendations of the Women's Caucus. Attached to this e-mail is a list of
addresses of some Foreign Ministries. We are asking you to send the letter, with
a cc. to the Women's Caucus, as soon as possible.
Note to our European members: the EU is currently formulating a common position
for the next PrepCom regarding the US Proposal (see letter below) and regarding
crimes against humanity. There is a summit between the US and EU leaders in
Lisbon on May 31st where the US Proposal is on the agenda. It is more important
than ever to write to your Foreign Ministers as soon as possible.
For those of you who responded to our previous action alert regarding the US
proposal, this action alert includes that issue, but also includes the larger
range of problems. Please modify the letter as you see fit.
_____________________
Dear ,
RE: International Criminal Court Negotiations at the Preparatory Commission,
June 2000.
We are writing to you about the upcoming session of the International Criminal
Court Preparatory Commission. This session will finalize the Rules of Procedure
and Evidence and the Elements of Crimes for the ICC. We urge you to take a
strong stand to defend the integrity of the Court and to support
non-discriminatory and effective jurisdiction regarding gender crimes.
It is imperative that the Elements of Crimes and the Rules of Procedure and
Evidence do not weaken the gender provisions in the Rome statute of the ICC and
that Rules are adopted to establish the necessary protection and incentives for
victims and witnesses of gender violence. It is equally important that the Rules
and the Elements do not alter the jurisdictional regime and the independence of
the court that was so delicately negotiated at the Rome Diplomatic Conference.
The integrity, independence and universality of the Court must not be
compromised in the face of illegitimate, short-term and exaggerated threats by
some countries against the Court.
