directors of international criminal court’s trust fund for VICTIMS

attend inaugural ceremony at the hague

(Reissued as received.)

THE HAGUE, 20 April (International Criminal Court) -- The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Philippe Kirsch, welcomed today the members of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims at the seat of the Court.

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, His Excellency Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Madame Minister Simone Veil arrived to the Court premises for the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims.  His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was not present at the first session, but will join the Board later.  Due to a national situation claiming his presence in his home country Costa Rica, His Excellency Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez was regrettably unable to attend the meeting.

In his welcoming remarks, President Kirsch underlined the importance of the Trust Fund for Victims and indicated that the election of the Board was the final step in a process of elections undertaken by the Assembly of States Parties to complete the justice system set out in the Rome Statute.

“For the very first time in history, victims of the most heinous crimes known to humanity have been granted access to an international criminal court to give evidence on their own behalf.  For the very first time in history, a possibility has been created to address the wrongs which have been committed through a claim for reparations against the individual convicted by an international criminal court, including an option to claim restitution, compensation and rehabilitation”, said the President.

A further statement was made by the President of the Assembly of States Parties, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein:  “... this Court represents one of the most original and enlightened achievements ever undertaken by humankind.  The Court’s development marks an enlightened leap forward, because reparations to the victims of the crimes covered by the Court’s statute are foreseen, for the first time, as part of the Court’s work.  The victim should now not just see but, in certain circumstances, also feel that justice is being served.”

The inaugural ceremony will be followed by two days of substantive discussions.

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