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ICC assigns Gaza Flotilla case to Pre-Trial chamber

BRUSSELS, July 5 (KUNA) -- The Presidency of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Friday announced that it has assigned "the situation" on registered vessels of the Comoros, Greece and Cambodia linked with the Gaza Flotilla case to the Pre-Trial Chamber I. This is a procedural matter only, and is not the beginning of an investigation, clarified the ICC which is based at the Hague in a statement. This situation was referred to the ICC by Comoros , a State Party to the Rome Statute. It is the Office of the Prosecutor that decides whether or not to open an ICC investigation.
The Office of the Prosecutor is conducting a preliminary examination in order to establish whether the criteria for opening an investigation are met, it noted. On 14 May 2013, the ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda received a referral from Comoros , with respect to the 31 May 2010 Israeli raid on the Humanitarian Aid Flotilla bound for Gaza Strip.
The referral makes reference to seven vessels that were attacked by Israeli forces and requests the Prosecutor to investigate the incident.
On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos attacked the vessel Mavi Marmara in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea, killing nine Turkish citizens and injuring more than dozens.
According to the referral, this vessel was registered in Comoros while two of the other vessels subjected to Israeli attacks were registered in Greece and Cambodia. Article 12 (2-a) of the Rome Statute allows the ICC to exercise its jurisdiction over crimes committed on board a vessel, if the State of registration of that vessel is a State Party to the ICC. Comoros, Greece and Cambodia are all States Parties to the Rome Statute. (end) nk.gb KUNA 052217 Jul 13NNNN