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The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, Ambassador Tiina Intelmann (Estonia) welcomed the rendering of the verdict of Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court in the case of The Prosecutor vs. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo today, 14 March 2012. Her thoughts today are with the victims of the crimes at the heart of the trial.
The crime of enlisting and conscripting child soldiers is among the most heinous crimes of our times and one that, sadly, plays a role in many contemporary armed conflicts.
Speaking in New York, Ambassador Intelmann stated that “this verdict, which completes the trial phase of the first-ever case before the International Criminal Court, demonstrates that the ICC works: the system set up by the Rome Statute to bring an end to
impunity for the worst crimes under international law is an operational reality. We have left the age of impunity behind us and entered the age of accountability.”
Noting the complexity of this case, in which the International Criminal Court carried out for the first time the role envisaged by its founders, she lauded the work of all organs of the Court – the Presidency, the Chambers, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry – as well as of the defence team.
Ambassador Intelmann also pointed out that this trial had proven that a system based entirely on State cooperation does indeed work. She thanked all States that had cooperated with the Court during this case, in particular the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which had cooperated extensively before, during and after the transfer of Mr Lubanga to the Court in 2006.
The decision of the Trial Chamber is subject to appeal.
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