The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the 2017 recipient of the Stockholm Human Rights Award.
The Principals of the ICC: the Registrar, Mr Herman von Hebel; the President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi; and the Prosecutor, Dr Fatou Bensouda.
Photo: Micke Lundström
Situated in The Hague, the ICC is the only permanent international criminal court of last resort, with a mandate to fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community with full respect for due process rights of suspects and accused persons. The Court was established when the Rome Statute – the legal basis for creating the ICC – entered into force on 1 July 2002 after ratification by 60 countries. The Court was established when the Rome Statute – the legal basis for creating the ICC – entered into force on 1 July 2002 after ratification by 60 states. In the intervening years, the number of States Parties to the Rome Statute has more than doubled, presently standing at 123.
Through building understanding and cooperation with countries worldwide, the ICC has become a reality stemming from a groundbreaking idea of an international criminal court holding to account those who commit the most heinous crimes. States Parties are legally obliged to arrest and surrender ICC suspects to the Court; where required, freeze assets, and cooperate with the Court in other forms such as for the protection of victims and witnesses. Absent its own police force or enforcement body, cooperation underpins the Rome Statute system.
Since the Court’s creation, the Office of the Prosecutor has opened ten official investigations and is conducting ten preliminary examinations. So far, more than 40 individuals have been indicted by the ICC for alleged atrocities with a number of convictions. A large number of victims have participated in the Court’s proceedings and benefit from the ICC reparations regime.
Committed to the fight against impunity for atrocity crimes that threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world, in accordance with the Rome Statute and for the critical role it plays in fostering the international rule of law, the Principals of the ICC – the President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi; the Prosecutor, Dr Fatou Bensouda, and the Registrar, Mr Herman von Hebel – will receive the 2017 Stockholm Human Rights Award jointly on behalf of the Court on Monday 20 November 2017 at Berwaldhallen, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 3, Stockholm, Sweden in the presence of Their Majesties King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia.