The Chamber of Deputies has unanimously adopted comprehensive implementing legislation

On 16 November 2016, Dip. Clemente Barrios Monges, Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and President of the Committee on Justice, Labor and Social Welfare of the Honorable Chamber of Deputies, announced that the Chamber of Deputies unanimously adopted the implementing legislation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including a number of recommendations made by PGA, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) and Amnesty International (AI).

The adoption of this legislation represents an important accomplishment for the work started in the country by PGA in 2013. Indeed, within the framework of its Parliamentary Campaign for the Effectiveness and Universality of the Rome Statute, on 7 July 2016, PGA organized Consultations on the Implementation of the Rome Statute and Support to the Court, hosted by the House of Deputies of Paraguay. The objective of the consultations, attended by many parliamentarians and other relevant stakeholders from the Executive and the Judiciary branches, was to encourage the implementation process of the Rome Statute by providing a platform for debate to address all substantive aspects of the Rome Statute system and discuss political as well as legal obstacles.

As a direct and immediate result of the Consultations, Sen. Emilia Patricia Alfaro, Member of PGA and President of the Committee on Gender and Equality, presented on 7 July a motion of preference to the plenary for the urgent treatment of this draft implementing legislation. The Senate approved the latter shortly after, on 4 August 2016, however without the substantive recommendations of PGA, CICC and AI that aimed at closing the gaps and harmonizing it with the Rome Statute standards.  

Today, and thanks to the unwavering commitment of PGA members in the House of Deputies, Dip. Barrios and Dip. Juan Félix Bogado Tatter, the implementing legislation of the Rome Statute was approved with the notable contributions of civil society organizations. The bill will be sent to the Senate for approval.

Once again, Latin American countries are setting the standard in the fight against impunity by upholding their commitments to Rule of Law, democracy and human rights. In furtherance of the principles of complementarity, it is a priority that countries effectively and completely implement the Rome Statute and establish cooperation mechanisms with the ICC. As we witness atrocities being committed in several parts of the world, the Rome Statute system has never been more relevant than it is today.   

As President of the Committee on Justice, Labor and Social Welfare of the Honorable Chamber of Deputies, I was satisfied with the modifications introduced in the Chamber of Deputies to the Draft Law of Implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and for being able to fulfill the commitments made to Parliamentarians for Global Action, Amnesty International and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court during the Consultations held in Asunción, earlier this year.

I seize the opportunity to thank my colleagues Dip. Eber Ovelar and Dip. Bernardo Villalba for their support.

The document will now return to the Senate to comply with the established constitutional processDip. Clemente Barrios (Paraguay)
PGA Member

After all the technical and awareness raising work we have done with my parliamentary colleagues as well as with national and international actors of civil society, I am very proud that we have unanimously voted in the Chamber of Deputies to pass the Implementing Legislation of the Rome Statute, which includes the recommendations of PGA, CICC and AI, for a more effective and complete legislation.

Once again, my country has demonstrated its commitment to the fight against impunity for international crimes, thus reaffirming the principle of ‘never again’ on the territory of Paraguay.

I reiterate my congratulations to the Members of the Chamber of Deputies and I hope that the Senate will also vote in favor of this Implementing Legislation of the Rome Statute.Dip. Juan Félix Bogado (Paraguay)
PGA Member

On July 7th, I was attending with Parliamentarians for Global Action, consultations on the full and effective implementation of the Rome Statute and Support to the International Criminal Court, in the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay. The purpose of these consultations was to promote an implementation process that had begun in 2013.

I take this opportunity to congratulate my fellow parliamentarians in Paraguay for their commitment to the rule of law, democracy and human rights. The example of Paraguay is important to show the importance of the role of parliamentarians on these fundamental issues. As parliamentarians, we have the responsibility to implement laws that will protect vulnerable civilian populations as well as the integrity of our territories.

In the 21st century, the international community cannot tolerate impunity for mass atrocities. On behalf of the victims of such crimes, we must support the Rome Statute system by implementing within our national legal frameworks, its principles, the crimes under its jurisdiction, as well as its mechanisms for cooperation with the ICC. The Court cannot fight alone, it needs the support of all countries, from all continents.Dip. Daniel Radio (Uruguay)
PGA Member

Personally and in my capacity as President of PGA, I have the pleasure of addressing my fellow colleagues of the Parliament of Paraguay to congratulate and acknowledge their work to achieve the approval of the Implementing Legislation of the Rome Statute, thus sending a clear message that this country will not to be a refuge for perpetrators of crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and the crime of aggression, regardless of their official capacity.

In the current climate of mistrust of some countries towards the International Criminal Court, it is particularly important that all States support the only independent international court capable of prosecuting international crimes that shock the conscience of humanity.

It is a great joy to witness that working together, parliamentarians in Latin America are able to advance the processes of implementation of the Rome Statute, strengthening their national legal frameworks and promoting one of the fundamental principles of the Statute, the principle of complementarity.

The implementation of the norms of the Rome Statute, such as that of cooperation of States Parties, is a fundamental pillar for an effective and universal fight against impunity.Dip. Margarita Stolbizer (Argentina)
President of PGA