ICC Registry Blames Limited Victim Outreach in Palestine on Lack of Judicial Developments and Resources

12-08-2022

Ryan Haigh

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On 11 August 2022, the Registry of the International Criminal Court issued its quarterly report on outreach activities concerning victims and affected communities in Palestine.[1] The Registry reports limited outreach has occurred.  The Registry attributes these circumstances to: (a) a lack of judicial developments; and (b) a paucity of resources provided to the Regisry regarding these endeavours.  The Registry fails to elaborate on how limited judicial developments may adversely affect it ability to communicate with affected communities.  The Registry appears to imply that there are not continuing to keep victims informed because little disclosable progress has been made by the Office of the Prosecutor in its investigation thus far.  While the Registry’s Public Information and Outreach Section is tasked with monitoring the perception of the affected population, the report failed to articulate the current view held by those in affected communities.  Further specifics have not been disclosed, as the public version of the report has been redacted. 

The Registry’s duties originate from a 13 July 2018 Court order requiring the Registry to ensure that victims in affected communities in Palestine are provided relevant information about the investigation, related cases, and about their right to participate in proceedings and communicate with the Court.  To this end, the Registry has created an information page specifically aimed at keeping victims of the situation in Palestine informed, which can be accessed at  https://www.icc-cpi.int/victims/state-palestine in Arabic or Hebrew.  Thus far, much of the Registry’s outreach has been via intermediaries and third-parties as opposed to interactions with victims themselves. This may change as the ICC’s involvement transitions from investigation to filing charges. 

On 5 February 2021, the Court held that its jurisdiction over the situation in Palestine extends to territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.   Accordingly, it is important that those individuals in these communities are aware that they may also be considered victims, and are therefore encouraged to stay informed regarding the ICC’s actions and their rights. 

[1]  Situation in the State of Palestine (Public Redacted Version of the “Sixteenth Registry Report on Information and Outreach Activities Concerning Victims and Affected Communities in the Situation) ICC-01/18 (11 August 2022).  https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/CourtRecords/CR2022_05943.PDF