New York / The Hague, 16 March 2017
On 16 March 2017 at noon, the President of PGA, Dip. Margarita Stolbizer, met with the President of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, Dip. José Alberto Alfaro Jimenez, to discuss inter alia the draft bill implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the country’s national legal order as well as the draft legislation on cooperation with the ICC. In attendance, were also the Head of the government party faction in Parliament, Dip. Laura Garro and another member of the government party, Dip. Marvin Atencio, PGA Member. In representation of PGA, Dip. Ronny Monge, PGA Board Member and Member of the National group Dip. Silvia Sánchez Venegas participated in the exchange.
The Commitment of Costa Rica to international justice, democracy, human rights and the Rule of Law has been illustrated by the numerous initiatives of PGA Members in Parliament. Indeed, on 19 January 2017, the Parliamentary Commission on Security and Drug Trafficking of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica, presided by Dip. Monge, approved draft legislation n° 19.665 that creates specific mechanisms to cooperate with the ICC. Pursuant to the country’s obligations under the Rome Statute, Dip. Monge also introduced on 6 December 2016, draft bill n°4573 which amends the Criminal Code of Costa Rica in order to implement the crimes included in the Rome Statute as well as the Kampala Amendments.
During the meeting that took place Yesterday, Dip. Stolbizer thanked the hosts for a warm welcome and the country’s support to the Rome Statute system, last rampart against impunity for international crimes:
Costa Rica is a country that has always been at the forefront of human rights in Latin America and the world. We hope it will continue to lead multilateral commitments. In this case, by means of a timely review of the project that implements the Rome Statute including the most serious crimes and procedures, as well as the draft law of cooperation with the International Criminal Court. The universal justice system created by the Statute hinges on the principle of complementarity, which means that the national jurisdictions are those primarily competent to try the crimes under the Statute. In order to function effectively at the universal level, it is necessary for states parties to implement all Rome Statute provisions in their national legal order. PGA is promoting the implementation of these norms and collaborating with our members in different countries so that we can have a world in peace that facilitates the development of the peoples.
Dip. Monge who is the author of both initiatives committed to advance the parliamentary process, in collaboration with other Members of the PGA National group in Costa Rica:
We need to advance in the review of these draft pieces of legislation, and a strong commitment of the executive to present them during the extraordinary period. We would like Costa Rica to be active in the international context in which conflicts and human rights violations compel us not to remain aloof.
The President of the National Assembly and in particular the deputies who lead the government party agreed that the aforementioned initiatives should be swiftly discussed and pledged to request the Executive Branch that they be included in the agenda and the projects submitted to a vote before the end of the current year. This welcomed development is the result of relentless advocacy and capacity building of PGA Members in Costa Rica with their parliamentary colleagues for many years.
The adoption by the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica of draft bills n° 19.665 and after a Committee approval of draft bill n°4573 would strengthen the legal protections afforded to its population and contribute in Latin America and the world to the prevention of international crimes to which we are still witnesses today.
Contact:
New York
Ms. Melissa M. Verpile
Program Officer
E: melissa.verpile@pgaction.org
Tel. +1.646.762.7306
The Hague
Ms. Frederika Schweighoferova
Program Associate
E: schweighoferova@pgaction.org
Tel. + 31.70.360.4433
