LOC20:45
17:45 GMT
ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Riad Malki at the ICC headquarters at the Hague
BRUSSELS, May 22 (KUNA) -- Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda said Tuesday that she received a referral from Foreign Minister of Palestine Riad Maliki regarding the situation in Palestine since June 13, 2014, with no end date.
"Pursuant to Regulation 45 of the Regulations of the Court, I have informed the ICC Presidency of this referral," she said in a press release at the Hague where the ICC is based.
"Since 16 January 2015, the situation in Palestine has been subject to a preliminary examination in order to ascertain whether the criteria for opening an investigation are met. This preliminary examination has seen important progress and will continue to follow its normal course, strictly guided by the requirements of the Rome Statute," stressed Bensouda.
She noted that a referral does not automatically lead to the opening of a probe.
"Should I, however, ultimately determine that the situation referred warrants an investigation in accordance with the statutory criteria, as a result of this referral, the Statute does not require the Prosecutor to seek authorisation from the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Court in order to proceed with an investigation," said the ICC Prosecutor,
The ICC's Office of the Prosecutor conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations in multiple situations within the ICC's jurisdiction. It is also conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Colombia; the Gabonese Republic; Guinea; Iraq/UK; Nigeria; Palestine; The Philippines; Venezuela and Ukraine. (end)
nk.rk