In progress at UNHQ

L/3024

STATES PARTIES TO CRIMINAL COURT STATUTE FAIL TO ELECT ANY JUDGES IN THREE ROUNDS OF BALLOTING

06/02/2003
Press Release
L/3024


International Criminal Court

Assembly of States Parties

First Session (Resumed)

7th Meeting (Resumed) (PM)


STATES PARTIES TO CRIMINAL COURT STATUTE FAIL TO ELECT

ANY JUDGES IN THREE ROUNDS OF BALLOTING


Seven Vacancies Remain to Be Filled


In three rounds of secret balloting this afternoon, the first resumed session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court did not elect any of the remaining seven judges that need to be selected in order to reach the required number of 18 judges for the Court.  In preceding ballots on Tuesday, Wednesday and this morning, the Assembly had elected 11 judges, including six women.


The role of the judges, and the Prosecutor, to be elected by consensus later, are key to shaping the Court and making it an independent, fair and effective institution to deal with crimes of the most grievous nature committed by individuals.  The treaty establishing the Court entered into force in July 2002.


During the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds of balloting, no candidate obtained the required two-thirds majority of States parties present and voting.


[Biographical information on the elected judges and other candidates is available in document ICC/ASP/1/4/Add.1.  For results of the first five ballots, see Press Release L/3021, L/3022 and L/3023 of 4, 5 and 6 February, respectively.]


Before the sixth round of balloting, the President of the first resumed session, Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), announced the withdrawal of candidates from Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia.  After the seventh round, the withdrawal of the candidate from Spain was announced.


Sixth Ballot


Total number of ballot papers:85

Number of invalid papers:      0

Number of valid ballots:    85

Number of Members voting:     85

Required two-thirds majority: 57


                                            # of votes


African States:


Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria)         37

Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal)         27


Asian States:


Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia)                    5

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa)           43


Eastern European States:


`     Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia)                           42

Ms. Anita Usacka (Latvia)          51


Latin American and Caribbean States:


Mr. Rene Blattmann (Bolivia)         51

Mr. Antonio Boggiano (Argentina)      11


Western European and Other States:


Mr. Adrian Fulford (United Kingdom)          54

Mr. Claude Jorda (France)          44

Mr. Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany)                           50

Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy)           44

Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland)     44

Mr. Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo (Spain)                 21


Seventh Ballot


Total number of ballot papers:85

Number of invalid papers:      0

Number of valid ballots:    85

Number of Members voting:     85

Required two-thirds majority: 57


                                            # of votes


African States:


Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria)         37

Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal)         27


Asian States:


Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia)                    7

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa)           46


Eastern European States:


`     Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia)                           41

Ms. Anita Usacka (Latvia)          50


Latin American and Caribbean States:


Mr. Rene Blattmann (Bolivia)         51

Mr. Antonio Boggiano (Argentina)      9


Western European and Other States:


Mr. Adrian Fulford (United Kingdom)          53

Mr. Claude Jorda (France)    44

Mr. Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany)                           50

Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy)           41

Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland)     42

Mr. Juan Antonio Yanez-Barnuevo (Spain)                 17


Eighth Ballot


Total number of ballot papers:85

Number of invalid papers:      0

Number of valid ballots:    85

Number of Members voting:     85

Required two-thirds majority: 57


                                            # of votes


African States:


Mr. Adolphus Karibi-Whyte (Nigeria)         33

Mr. Doudou Ndir (Senegal)         26


Asian States:


Mr. Bunchhat Heng Vong (Cambodia)                    10

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa)           44


Eastern European States:


`     Mr. Ivo Josipovic (Croatia)                           39

Ms. Anita Usacka (Latvia)          55


Latin American and Caribbean States:


Mr. Rene Blattmann (Bolivia)         46

Mr. Antonio Boggiano (Argentina)      9


Western European and Other States:


Mr. Adrian Fulford (United Kingdom)                      52

Mr. Claude Jorda (France)                            43

Mr. Hans-Peter Kaul (Germany)                           46

Mr. Mauro Politi (Italy)           42

Ms. Barbara Liliane Ott (Switzerland)     34


The Assembly’s meeting will resume tomorrow, 7 February, at 10 a.m.


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For information media. Not an official record.