ICC Prosecutor urges respect of Islamic values to establish peace in Afghanistan

BRUSSELS, Aug 17 (KUNA) -- The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, Tuesday said he has been closely following the current developments in Afghanistan and expressed his concern by recent reports of escalating violence in the country.
"In particular, I echo the views expressed by the United Nations Security Council over reported incidents on the territory of Afghanistan that may amount to violations of international humanitarian law under the Rome Statute" he said in a statement.
Khan warned that his office may exercise its jurisdiction over and investigate any act of genocide, crime against humanity or war crime committed within the territory of Afghanistan since 1 May 2003.
He ended his statement by recalling the words of the Holy Qur'an in Surah Al Ma'idah, which says : "whosoever killed a person - it shall be as if he had killed all mankind; and whosoever gave life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to all mankind. And our Messengers came to them with clear signs, yet even after that, many of them commit excesses in the land" (Chapter 5, verse 32).
"It is timely that this admonition and injunction of the Holy Qur'an is recalled. Those values are echoed in the Rome Statute ," he said.
"I hope and pray that the imperative underlying this verse and numerous other Islamic precepts fall upon the hearts of all individuals and that in this time of change and uncertainty in Afghanistan restraint and justice can be observed with a view to peaceful reconciliation," added.
Khan a British human rights lawyer took office last June, replacing Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda of The Gambia. The 123-member ICC, based at the Dutch city of the Hague, is responsible for judgements regarding war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. (end) nk.mb