International Criminal Court Gains a Prosecutor

More information on the election of the Prosecutor

More information on the International Criminal Court

NEW YORK - Luis Moreno Ocampo, the new Prosecutor of the ICC, took his oath of allegiance today at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Moreno Ocampo is himself from Argentina, a country that has seen grievous human rights violations, and was heavily involved in the prosecution of the human rights crimes of Argentina’s military junta in the 1980’s.

In an extraordinary vote of confidence, Moreno Ocampo was elected in April by a unanimous vote of the Assembly of States who are members of the Court.

With Moreno Ocampo’s appointment the ICC will begin to be a fully functional court. Prince Zeid Al Hussein, President of the Assembly, described today’s event as a “rite of passage” in the development of the Court. At the ceremony an address was given by Ben Ferenz, an American citizen and former prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials, who brought to the ceremony a sense of historic perspective on the evolution of international law which led to the creation of the International Criminal Court. An address was also given by a Cambodian victim of the Khmer Rouge, reminding all present of the painful reasons which make this Court a necessity.

Moreno Ocampo said he would proceed to build up his office to the highest level of professionalism, using the best talent from all over the world. The Prosecutor will be central to the functioning of the court, playing a major role in determining which investigations the Court will pursue and what type of prosecutorial strategy will be followed.