UNITED NATIONS RIGHTS OFFICIAL WELCOMES FIRST ICC PROSECUTOR

16 June 2003




Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan, currently acting as High Commissioner, warmly welcomed the swearing in today at The Hague of Luis Moreno Ocampo as the first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Mr. Ramcharan, who will be participating on Wednesday in hearings at The Hague organized by the office of the Prosecutor, pledged the full cooperation and support of the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) to the Prosecutor in the discharge of his historic responsibilities.

“Genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity are still occurring,” said Mr. Ramcharan. “It is essential that those who commit such gross violations of human rights understand that the international community will no longer tolerate these crimes and will punish the perpetrators.”

The work of OHCHR and that of the ICC have many areas of convergence, Mr. Ramcharan noted. These include identifying and investigating gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law, helping victims find redress, and putting an end to impunity.




* *** *