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1989
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In response to a request by Trinidad and Tobago, the United Nations General
Assembly requested the International Law Commission (ILC) to resume work on
an international criminal court with jurisdiction to include drug
trafficking. |
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1994 |
The International Law Commission completed its work on the draft Statute for
an International Criminal Court and submitted the draft statute to the UN
General Assembly. To consider major substantive issues arising from that
draft Statute, the General Assembly established the Ad Hoc Committee on the
Establishment of an International Criminal Court. |
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1995 |
The Ad Hoc Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal
Court, met twice. After the General Assembly had considered the Committee's
report, it created the Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an
International Criminal Court to prepare a widely acceptable consolidated
draft text for submission to a diplomatic conference. |
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1996 - 1998 |
The Preparatory Committee, met over this period and held its final session
in March and April of 1998 where it completed the drafting of the text. |
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17 July 1998 |
Adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court at the United
Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rome with the participation of
representatives of 160 States, 33 Intergovernmental Organisations and a
Coalition of 236 Non Governmental Organisations. 120 countries voted in
favour, 7 against and 21 abstained. The ICC was established not as an organ
of the United Nations but as an independent organisation with an independent
budget. |
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11 April 2002 |
60 ratifications of the Statute of the International Criminal Court were required
before the Statute could be enforced. The 60th instrument of ratification was
deposited with the United Nations Secretary General when 10 countries
simultaneously deposited their instruments of ratification as provided by
Article 126 of the Rome Statute. |
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1 July 2002 |
The Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002. Anyone who commits any of the crimes
under the Statute after this date is liable for prosecution by the Court. (as at
26 February 2003, with 139 signatories, 89 States have ratified or acceded the
Rome Statute). In order to prepare for a smooth and timely beginning for the
Court once its officials were elected, an Advance Team of Experts began work in
The Hague, The Netherlands, seat of the Court. The Team was responsible for the
first practical arrangements for the coming into operation of the Court. The
Team consisted of eight technical experts in, amongst other things, human
resources, finance, building and facilities management, information technology,
legal matters, and security. With the host state, the Team did preparatory
ground work to enable the Court to start recruiting and commence its basic
operations when it formally begins its work. As mandated, the Advance Team also
acted as a custodian for all information addressed to the Court. Systems were
put in place to allow the Team to take possession of such material, register it
in accordance with international standards, and store it in a safe place until
it can be given to the Prosecutor. The mandate of the Advance Team ceased on 31
October 2002. |
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Sept 2002 |
The First session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute adopted the
budget of Euro 30 million for the first financial period of the Court (ICC-ASP/1/Res.12)
and adopted various instruments including the "Rules of Procedure and Evidence"
and "Elements of Crimes." In addition, a Director of the Division of Common
Services was appointed, becoming the first senior officer of the ICC responsible
for leading the process to allow the Court to become operational. |
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15 Oct 2002 |
The Director of the Division of Common Services formally took over the functions
carried out until then by the Advance Team. The Division was established with
the intention to maximise efficiency and economy within the parameters of the
strict division of powers set out in the Statute between the judiciary and the
Office of the Prosecutor. The Division provides to the judiciary, the Office of
the Prosecutor, the Registry and the Defence administrative services that are a
common requirement of all four. |
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3-7 Feb 2003 |
The resumed session of the first Assembly of States Parties elected the first 18
judges to serve the Court. |
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11 March 2003 |
During the inaugural public session held at the Hall of Knights in The Hague, the
elected judges sworn in before the President of the Assembly of States Parties
HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al Hussein. The ceremony was attended by Her Majesty
Queen Beatrix of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, in Her capacity as Head of the
host state of the Court and by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. |
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21-23 Apr 2003 |
Second resumption of the first session of the Assembly of States Parties. Mr. Luis
Moreno-Ocampo from Argentina elected by consensus as first Chief Prosecutor of
the International Criminal Court. |
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16 June 2003 |
Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo pledged his solemn undertaking during an open session of the
Court presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch, President of the ICC, and witnessed by
the President of the Assembly of States Parties, HRH Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid
Al-Hussein of Jordan. The solemn ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the
Peace Palace in The Hague and was followed by a two days public hearing and
debate on the policies of the Office of the Prosecutor. |
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24 June 2003 |
Mr. Bruno Cathala from France elected first Registrar of the International Criminal
Court by an absolute majority of the judges meeting in plenary session. |
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1 July 2003 |
First anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute. |
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3 July 2003 |
Mr. Bruno Cathala pledged his solemn undertaking during an open session of the Court
presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch, President of the ICC, and witnessed by the
Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties H.E. Allieu Ibrahim Kanu. |
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