International Criminal Court: Prosecutor Karim Khan seeks authorization for the resumption of investigations relating to the situation in the Philippines.
GHRTV
27-06-2022
Grace ATALUI MOKANGO
International Justice and Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
In a statement released on 24 June 2022, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court reports that he has filed an application with Pre-Trial Chamber I of the Court to authorise his Office to resume its investigation into the situation in the Republic of the Philippines.
The Prosecutor recalls that on 15 September 2021, Pre-Trial Chamber I authorised his Office to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the Philippine Government's so-called 'war on drugs'. However, on 10 November 2021, the Government of the Philippines requested the Prosecutor to defer the investigation into the situation in the Philippines because national authorities were investigating, or had already investigated, the alleged crimes under investigation by the Office. The Office thus suspended its investigation as required by the Statute in light of the principle of complementarity while at the same time obtaining information from the Government.
As a result of a meticulous and thorough examination of the said information provided and that in possession of the Office, the Prosecutor has concluded that the deferral requested by the Philippines is not justified and that the investigation of his Office should resume as soon as possible. The Prosecutor concludes that he has informed the Philippine authorities of his application to the Court and remains interested in continuing the productive dialogue that has been ongoing since November 2021.
Source and further reading
Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim A. A. Khan QC, following the application for an order under article 18(2) seeking authorisation to resume investigations in the Situation in the Philippines. (2022). International Criminal Court. From:
https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-prosecutor-international-criminal-court-karim-khan-qc-following-application-order
