A Year in the Fight Against Impunity

As 2019 comes to a close, we at Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) look back at a year that saw impressive gains in the fight against impunity, but also some setbacks.

The year culminated on a high note, as Kiribati became the latest state to deposit its instrument of accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on November 26, 2019, following PGA’s concerted efforts. Once it enters into force, Kiribati will thus become the 123^rd State Party to the ICC, accepting the Court’s jurisdiction over grave crimes, including environmental crimes that threaten the island nation’s very survival. At the annual Assembly of States Parties (ASP) meeting in The Hague in early December, PGA Member and former Minister of Justice Natan Teewe Brechtefeld proudly accepted the congratulations of fellow Member States.

Throughout the year, at PGA events and activities on five continents, parliamentarians likewise took critical steps toward realizing ratification, implementation legislation, and cooperation agreements under the Rome Statute system, and with PGA’s support, Ecuador and Paraguay ratified the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression.

The following are just a few examples that highlight the depth and breadth of PGA’s 2019 activities:

• PGA and Partners Take a Critical Step in the Fight Against Impunity in Ukraine - December 19, 2019

• PGA Convenes Members of the European Parliament (MEP) take Action to Confront “New Frontiers in the Fight Against Impunity” - October 04, 2019

• On International Justice Day, PGA Recognizes Parliamentarians at the Forefront of the Fight Against Impunity and Calls upon Legislators Worldwide to Join Them - July 17, 2019

• African Parliamentarians gather in Banjul to discuss accountability mechanisms for serious human rights violations and international crimes - July 12, 2019

• Pacific Islands States Commit to Advancing International Criminal Justice - June 07, 2019

• Latin American Parliamentarians meet in Montevideo to promote International Justice - May 21, 2019

There were promising early signs of potential justice for victims of atrocities, such as ICC’s opening of an investigation into alleged crimes against the Rohingya people, for whom PGA members have been staunch advocates. PGA also joined with NGO partners to support the right for victims to participating in ongoing International Court of Justice proceedings brought by The Gambia against Myanmar under the genocide convention. After repeated demands for his surrender, PGA welcomed the arrest of former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and calls for the interim government to cooperate with the ICC to bring him to justice.

However, there were also backward steps: The Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect in March and, despite PGA’s assiduous efforts over years, Malaysia reversed its decision to ratify. PGA members fought back against attacks on the ICC, including the U.S. administration’s placement of visa restrictions on senior Court officials. At the same time, many ICC supporters were led to question its efficacy in the fight against impunity in light of the latest high profile acquittals and Pre-Trial's decision not authorizing the opening of an investigation into alleged crimes committed in the situation in Afghanistan.

Please see our new webpage providing a non-exhaustive summary of major ICC developments in 2019 >>

The goals of promoting the Court’s universality and improving its functioning must be seen as intertwined, as PGA emphasized in its final campaign event of the year at the 18^th ASP, “Pursuing Universality in an Evolving International Context.”

Thirty years since the launch of PGA’s ICC Campaign in 1989, both the positive and negative developments underscore the continued relevance of PGA’s work to promote the universality of the Court and improve its functioning – including through active participation in an ongoing process to review and reform the ICC.

Looking ahead to 2020, PGA looks forward to working with all its members to evolve to meet fresh challenges and seize opportunities to achieve the full promise of a permanent Court for crimes of international concern as well as the realization of domestic justice through national implementation of the Rome Statute.

Best wishes for a peaceful and just new year,
The PGA Secretariat