International Criminal Court: Visit of the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina

28-04-2022

Grace ATALUI MOKANGO

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence

The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Šefik Džaferović, visited the International Criminal Court on 26 April 2022. On this occasion, he was personally received by Judge Piotr Hofmański in his capacity as President of the Court and the two Deputy Prosecutors of the ICC Mame Mandiaye Niang and Nazhat Shameem Khan. It should be noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina signed the Rome Statute on 17 July 2000 and deposited its instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute on 11 April 2002.

Chairman of the Presidency H.E. Šefik Džaferović said: “Bosnia and Herzegovina strongly supports the International Criminal Court. The full respect of International law is the only way to guarantee the lasting peace and security. All war criminals have to know that at the end of the day they will have to face the international justice.”

Furthermore, President Hofmański, on behalf of the Court, thanked Mr. Džaferović for honouring the Court with his visit and stated: “As the ICC faces a higher workload than ever before, the support and full cooperation of States is of crucial importance for the Court to be able to discharge its impartial and independent mandate effectively, and we are grateful to be able to count on Bosnia and Herzegovina in this respect.”

This visit reinforces and reaffirms Bosnia and Herzegovina's continued commitment to the Court in its mission to fight impunity for the most severe crimes in violation of international law. 

Source and further reading 

International Criminal Law, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina visits International Criminal Court, Press Release, ( 26 April 2022), from: https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/chairman-presidency-bosnia-and-herzegovina-visits-international-criminal-court