First Victims Recognized by International Criminal Court (ICC)

January 20 – In a historic decision, the ICC has invoked Article 68 of the Rome Statute and has accepted the first victims’ applications to participate in criminal proceedings against suspected war criminals.
On January 17, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I issued its first decision recognizing the right of six victims to participate in proceedings addressing the atrocities committed in the Democractic Republic of Congo before the ICC.
The Pre-Trial Chamber stated that “the right [of victims] to express, in a general way, their views and concerns regarding the investigation of a situation and to present evidence before the Pre-Trial Chamber cannot have negative consequences for the investigation…The Statute [of the ICC] grants victims an independent voice and role in proceedings before the Court.” The Pre-Trial Chamber also stated that “the personal interests of the victims are affected in a general manner at the investigation stage, since the participation of victims at this stage enables facts to be clarified, those responsible for crimes committed to be sanctioned and reparations for harm suffered to be requested.”
The Chamber’s decision reaffirms the ICC’s commitment to the rights of victims and encourages a more affirmative role on the part of victims in international criminal law.

+VICTIMS' TRUST FUND
+ROME STATUTE
 

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