STATES PARTIES TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ELECT FINAL FOUR JUDGES; IN TOTAL, 18 SELECTED, REQUIRING 33 BALLOTS OVER FOUR DAYS

International Criminal Court
Assembly of States Parties
First Session (Resumed)
7 February 2003
7th Meeting (Resumed) (PM & Night)




Will Be Sworn in at The Hague on 11 March



In 21 rounds of secret balloting this afternoon and evening, the first resumed session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) completed its work by electing Rene Blattmann (Bolivia), Mauro Politi (Italy), Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa), and Claude Jorda (France) as judges to the Court.

A total of 18 judges, chosen from among 43 candidates -- including 10 women -- were elected during one meeting spanning the past four days.

The 18 judges will be sworn in during a ceremony on 11 March at the ICC headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. The role of the judges, and that of the Prosecutor who is expected to be elected at the Assembly’s next session in April, are key to shaping the Court and making it an independent, fair and effective institution to deal with crimes of the most grievous nature committed by individuals. The treaty establishing the Court, which entered into force on 1 July 2002, has thus far been ratified by 88 countries. Eighty-five States were eligible to vote in the balloting this week.

The judges are: Ms. Elizabeth Odio Benito (Costa Rica); Mr. Rene Blattmann (Bolivia); Ms. Maureen Harding Clark (Ireland); Ms. Fatoumata Dembele Diarra (Mali); Mr. Adrian Fulford (United Kingdom); Mr. Karl Hudson-Phillips (Trinidad and Tobago); Mr. Claude Jorda (France); Mr. Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany); Mr. Philippe Kirsch (Canada); Mr. Erkki Kourula (Finland); Ms. Akua Kuenyehia (Ghana); Mr. Georghios Pikis (Cyprus); Ms. Navanethem Pillay (South Africa); Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy); Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa); Mr. Sang-hyun Song (Republic of Korea); Ms. Sylvia Helena de Figueiredo Steiner (Brazil); and Ms. Anita Usacka (Latvia).

In the first four rounds of balloting, 11 judges, including six women, were elected. According to the rules of procedure, having failed to elect the 18 required judges, the Assembly then discontinued the complex voting procedure it had used in the first four rounds.

That procedure took into account the need for representation of the principal legal systems of the world; equitable geographical distribution; and fair representation of female and male judges. Representatives were required to vote for at least three candidates from the Group of African States; two from Asian States; two from Eastern European States; three from Latin American and Caribbean States; and three from Western European and Other States. Representatives were further required to vote for at least six male and at least six female candidates.

The ballot contained two lists of candidates. List A candidates had established competence in criminal law, while List B candidates had competence in relevant areas of international law. At least nine candidates had to be elected from List A and at least five judges from List B. However, no more than 13 candidates from list A and no more than nine candidates from List B would be considered elected.

In the end, six of the elected judges were women. Ten candidates were elected from List A, and eight from List B. Three judges came from the Group of African States, three from the Group of Asian States, one from the Group of Eastern European States, four from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States, and seven from the Group of Western European and Other States.

[Biographical information on the judges is contained in document ICC/ASP/1/4/Add.1. For coverage of earlier ballots, see Press Releases L/3021 through L/3025 of 4 to 7 February.]

After the election meeting was adjourned, the Assembly’s President called a new meeting during which lots were drawn to determine the term of office of the judges, that is, which six judges would serve a full term of nine years, which six a term of six years, and which six a term of three years.

Serving a three-year term, beginning on 11 March, will be: Mr. Slade (Samoa); Mr. Kourula (Finland); Ms. Kuenyehia (Ghana); Mr. Kaul (Germany); Mr. Song (Republic of Korea); and Ms. Usacka (Latvia).

Mr. Jorda (France); Mr. Politi (Italy); Mr. Pikis (Cyprus); Mr. Blattmann (Bolivia); Ms. Pillay (South Africa); and Mr. Kirsch (Canada) will serve six-year terms.

Ms. Diarra (Mali); Ms. Odio Benito (Costa Rica); Mr. Hudson-Phillips (Trinidad and Tobago); Mr. Fulford (United Kingdom); Ms. Steiner (Brazil); and Ms. Harding Clark (Ireland) will serve nine-year terms.

After the elections, the Assembly continued to consider other items on its agenda, including issues relating to credentials, the election of the Prosecutor, the special working group on the crime of aggression, and the bureau report on the appointment of the external auditor.



Voting Results

Thirteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 29
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 15

Asian States:

Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia) : 6
Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 27

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 42

Latin American and Caribbean States:

Mr. Rene Blattmann (Bolivia) : 57

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 47
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 46
Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland) : 31

Mr. Blattmann was declared elected.


Fourteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of Members voting: 84
Required two-thirds majority: 56



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 27
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 10

Asian States:

Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia) : 5
Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 25

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 37

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 50
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 45
Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland) : 25



Fifteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of Members voting: 84
Required two-thirds majority: 56



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 24
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 15

Asian States:

Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia) : 5
Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 22

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 41

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 48
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 48
Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland) : 22

The President announced the withdrawal of the candidate from Cambodia.


Sixteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 26
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 15

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 28

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 40

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 47
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 52
Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland) : 19


Seventeenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 24
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 16

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 28

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 41

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 47
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 52
Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland) : 17

The President announced the withdrawal of the candidate from Switzerland.


Eighteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 21
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 15

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 39

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 45

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 47
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 52


Nineteenth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 20
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 13

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 39

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 42

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 49
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 54


Twentieth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) :23
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 13

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 37

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 39

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 48
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 56


Twenty-first Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 20
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 12

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 42

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 37

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 49
Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy) : 58

Mr. Politi was declared elected.


Twenty-second Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 2
Number of valid ballots: 83
Number of Members voting: 83
Required two-thirds majority: 56


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 14
Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal) : 10

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 44

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 40

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 45

The representative of Senegal announced the withdrawal of its candidate and said he had hoped that Africa would have four seats in order to enhance the Court’s credibility.



Twenty-third Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 24

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 45

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 37

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 45


Twenty-fourth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 1
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of Members voting: 84
Required two-thirds majority: 56



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 20

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 46

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 35

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 44



Twenty-fifth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 19

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 46

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 36

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 44


Twenty-sixth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 17

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 49

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 40

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 44


Twenty-seventh Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 19

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 52

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 42

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 44


Twenty-eighth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 85
Number of Members voting: 85
Required two-thirds majority: 57


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 16

Asian States:

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) : 58

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 38

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 41

Mr. Slade was declared elected.



Twenty-ninth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:85
Number of invalid papers: 1
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of Members voting: 84
Required two-thirds majority: 56


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 12

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 32

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 40


Thirtieth Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of Members voting: 84
Required two-thirds majority: 56



African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 8

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 30

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 46



Thirty-first Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 1
Number of valid ballots: 83
Number of Members voting: 83
Required two-thirds majority: 56


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 3

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 30

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 50



Thirty-second Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 1
Number of valid ballots: 83
Number of Members voting: 83
Required two-thirds majority: 56


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 6

Eastern European States:

Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia) : 24

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 53

The representative of Croatia announced it withdrew its candidate. He expressed regret that more attention was not paid to regional representation.



Thirty-third Ballot

Total number of ballot papers:84
Number of invalid papers: 0
Number of valid ballots: 84
Number of abstentions 4
Number of Members voting: 80
Required two-thirds majority: 54


African States:

Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria) : 23

Western European and Other States:

Mr. Claude Jorda (France) : 57

Mr. Jorda was declared elected.





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