(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 18, 2008 ) The Hague, 17 January 2008 -- The three new International Criminal Court (ICC) judges elected by the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) at the end of 2007 were sworn-in today at a ceremony held at the seat of the Court in The Hague. Judge Daniel David Ntanda Nsereko of Uganda, Judge Fumiko Saiga from Japan and Judge Bruno Cotte from France, each made a public solemn undertaking before the President of the Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch and the other 14 ICC judges. The solemn undertaking was witnessed by the President of the ASP, H.E. Mr Bruno Stagno Ugarte, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the Court.

Welcoming the new judges, President Kirsch said, “The judges of the ICC are all very happy to welcome our new colleagues and we look forward to working with them.”

The President of the ASP, Mr Stagno Ugarte, emphasized the opportunity of the new judges to contribute to the work of the Court at a crucial time, “The three new judges take the oath of office today at a crucial point in time - the Court has now entered the trial phase, now that charges have been confirmed in one case. The new judges will have the distinct opportunity to contribute to the development of the criminal jurisprudence of the Court.”

He further added, “A judge of the International Criminal Court bears a heavy burden. The victims of the crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court look to the judges to administer justice in situations that have deeply affected and impacted on their lives and their communities. The accused would also expect that their trials would be conducted in a fair, effective and impartial manner. If the Court stands as a permanent beacon of light and of hope, the judges are the bearers of that light and hope to the persons suffering at the hands of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes within its jurisdiction. ”

In his statement Mr Stagno Ugarte paid also tribute to the three judges who resigned in 2007: Judge Maureen Harding Clark (Ireland), Judge Karl Hudson-Phillips (Trinidad and Tobago) and Judge Claude Jorda (France).

The judges of the ICC are persons of high moral character, impartiality and integrity with the qualifications for appointment to the highest judicial offices in their countries. All have extensive experience relevant to the Court's judicial activity and are elected on the basis of their established competence in criminal law and procedure in relevant areas of international law, such as international humanitarian law and the law of human rights. Judges have judicial expertise in specific issues, including violence against women or children. All are fluent in at least one of the working languages of the Court, English and French.

· Programme of the ceremony

· Solemn undertaking

· Biographies of the three new judges

· Speech of Mr Bruno Stagno Ugarte

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For further information please contact Ms Sonia Robla, Head of Public Information and Documentation Section at +31 (0)70 515-8089 or +31 (0) 646448726 or at sonia.robla@icc-cpi.int

Contact Information:
The International Criminal Court (ICC)
Ms Sonia Robla
Tel: +31 (0)70 515-8089
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