The present report, covering the period 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2011, is the seventh annual report of the International Criminal Court submitted to the United Nations. It covers the main developments in the activities of the Court and other developments of relevance to the relationship between the Court and the United Nations.
The Court made significant progress during the reporting period. Five new States acceded to or ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, bringing the total number of States parties to 116. The Court’s judicial activity reached a new high with the start of a third trial. The presentation of evidence in the Court’s first trial was concluded, and the verdict is expected by the end of the year.
The Prosecutor opened a sixth investigation, following the Security Council’s unanimous referral of the situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The total number of individuals subject to proceedings before the Court increased from 15 to 25, and seven new persons appeared before the judges pursuant to an arrest warrant or a summons to appear.
The United Nations continued to provide important support and assistance to the Court during the reporting period. The Court engaged closely with States, the United Nations and regional and intergovernmental organizations to enhance international cooperation in the fight against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
As the importance attached to the Court’s work and the relevance of the Rome Statute on the international scene grow, great challenges remain. Arrest warrants are outstanding against a total of 11 suspects, and the cooperation of States in bringing these persons to justice continues to be a key condition for the effective implementation of the Court’s mandate. At the same time, the growing casework and the referral of a new situation by the Security Council has increased pressure on the resources available to the Court.
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In addition to the six investigations, the Office of the Prosecutor is conducting preliminary examinations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Nigeria, the Republic of Korea and Palestine. During the reporting period, the Prosecutor sought authorization from the Pre-Trial Chamber to open an investigation into the alleged crimes committed on the territory of Côte d’Ivoire after 28 November 2010. The request was pending at the time of the submission of the present report. |