Chamber of Deputies, Montevideo, Uruguay
On October 8 and 9, 2015, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) co-organized with the House of Representatives of Uruguay a Parliamentary Seminar and a Technical Workshop in the framework of the Campaign for the Rome Statute of the ICC for the Effectiveness of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, with the collaboration of the International Committee of the Red Cross, in Montevideo.
These activities provided a platform for vibrant exchanges between Parliamentarians and representatives of Government, International Organizations and civil society regarding the role of Parliamentarians in creating the necessary conditions for the adoption of a comprehensive and effective implementing legislation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as for the ratification of the Kampala Amendments to the Rome Statute.
Over the years, Latin America has substantially contributed to the consolidation of an international criminal justice system that hinges on the ICC. In particular, Parliamentarians of the region have played an instrumental role in the promotion of the universality of the Rome Statute, having achieved ratification in all South American countries. However, despite all those efforts, many more obstacles remain to implement effectively the Statute with legislation that defines and set the penalty for the most international serious crimes that shock human consciousness, namely crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and the crime of aggression as well as set the mechanisms to cooperate with the ICC. To this day, we continue to witness the commission of these atrocity-crimes and the consequent search for impunity by their alleged perpetrators: Hence, implementing legislation is a way to narrow the impunity gap and foster the prevention for such atrocities.
On 8 October, welcoming remarks of the public Seminar were delivered by Ambassador Martin Vidal, Director of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Dip. Alejandro Sanchez, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and Dip. Bertha Sanseverino, Member of the PGA Board and Chair of the PGA Uruguay National Group. During this opening session, an emphasis was laid on the importance of the Rome Statute system as the ultimate rampart against impunity and as guarantor of institutional strengthening at a time in which Uruguay celebrates its 30th year of democracy after 12 years of civic-military dictatorship in the country.
During the course of the Seminar, many legislators from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Honduras, as well as other relevant stakeholders such as Dr. Arrighi, Secretary for Legal Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS), debated the state of implementing legislation in Latin America and the importance of the Rome Statute as a commitment with the Rule of Law in the region. Dr. Arrighi in particular, recognized the essential role of the ICC in fighting against impunity and announced in the Seminar that the OAS will held a Special Session on the ICC at the beginning of 2016, inviting PGA to participate.
The first day of the event was particularly informative to the public as the audience benefitted from the eminent presentation of Dr. Fabio Galiani on the individual criminal responsibility and the commitment to the “never again” in the context of the “Plan Condor” Trial, currently held in Rome on the basis of the obligation to prosecute or extradite incorporated in the Italy-Uruguay Extradition Treaty. Ambassador Moerzinger, Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties, addressed the necessary cooperation and political will of Latin America in supporting the ICC. These thematic key-note addresses were paramount in informing the audience and providing parliamentarians with arguments to foster a fertile ground in their country for effective implementing legislation currently being presented in some Parliaments.
The second day, 9 October, was dedicated exclusively to strengthening parliamentary knowledge on the Rome Statute through technical assistance in a closed Workshop. Experts such as Hugo Relva of Amnesty International, Michelle Reyes of the Coalition for the ICC, Dr. Felipe Michelini for the Truth and Justice Commission in Uruguay as well as Dr. David Donat Cattin and Romina Morello of the PGA Secretariat contributed their technical expertise to the debate. The 25 parliamentarians that were present in the Workshop had the opportunity to ask questions on implementation processes, cooperation mechanisms with the ICC, clarification on the crimes covered by the Rome Statute as well as on concepts that stem from the Rome Statute such as the prohibition of Immunities for Heads of State and Government officials and the prohibition of a Statute of Limitations for the most serious crimes of international concern.
As a result of the discussions, the parliamentarians pledged to introduce and continue pushing for a more comprehensive and effective implementation of the Rome Statute in their country so as to give full force to the continuous efforts in the fight against impunity, with the technical assistance of the PGA Secretariat when requested, in drafting legislation. The closing remarks of the PGA Secretary General, Dr. David Donat Cattin remembered the importance of the region for the functioning of the ICC and the fight against impunity while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dip. Alejandro Sanchez, reiterated a renewed commitment to uphold the Rule of Law in all Latin American Countries.
In 2012, 2013, and 2014, similar events, but of a lower international scale have taken place in the House of Representatives of Uruguay. For more information visit: https://www.pgaction.org/ilhr/rome-statute/uruguay.html
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Romina Morello, Legal Advisor, International Law and Human Rights Program, PGA at: romina.morello@pgaction.org
