May 20, 11

NEWS / Grenada becomes latest country to back International Criminal Court

20 May 2011 –
Grenada has become the latest country to agree to be bound by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the permanent global tribunal tasked with trying people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The Caribbean country acceded to the 1998 Rome Statute yesterday, taking the total number of States Parties to the treaty to 115.

In a press statement the ICC, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands, applauded Grenada for joining “the international community’s efforts to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes that threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world.”

The court noted that the Caribbean region began the initiative for an international tribunal of this kind as far back as 1989, adding it hoped that every member of the Caribbean Community will join the Rome Statute as soon as possible.

An independent court, the ICC was established in 2002 after the number of ratifications of the Rome Statute surpassed 60 earlier that year. The Security Council is authorized to refer matters to the court for investigation.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=38451&Cr=international+criminal+court&Cr1=