Joint statement following the ICC briefing on Libya - Security Council Media Stakeout

Okay. I think we. Good. We deliver this statement on behalf of the members of the Security Council that are state parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and our own countries, Denmark and Sierra Leone.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the ICC Deputy Prosecutor Ms. Nazat Shamim Khan and her team for presenting the 30th report of the Office of the Prosecutor to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Libya postulant to Resolution 1970. We welcome the significant progress made in the reporting period by the Office across its four key lines of inquiry in the Libyan situation in fulfillment of the mandate set by council under Resolution 1970. This progress is reflected in the imminent surrender of Council Khalid El Hishri to the Court following his arrest by German authorities based on an arrest warrant issued by the Court's pre Trial Chamber in relation to war crimes and crimes against humanity alleged to have been committed in Mitiga Prison. We note that this is now anticipated to give rise to the first trial before the court postulant to resolution 1970, marking a significant milestone zone and meeting a key objective set by the Office in its last report. We welcome the renewed basis for cooperation and partnership towards justice reflected in the declaration made by the Government of Libya pursuant to Article 123 of the Rome Statute.

In this regard, we also welcome the concrete steps taken by the Government of Libya in follow up to this Declaration in the reporting period. This sends a clear message that Libya sees value in the work of the Office and by extension, the Court. We note that following the Article 123 declaration by the Government of Libya and in light of the expanded cooperation offered by it, the Office has conducted a further assessment of the opportunities and consequent timeframe for the effective implementation of the mandate set by the Council. We further note that the Office will consequently continue its investigations postulant to Resolution 1970 beyond 2026, while remaining committed to promptly moving the completion of the investigative phase. In this situation, we appreciate the Office continued commitment to delivering on its mandate under challenging circumstances.

We further appreciate the continued engagement of the Office with victims in civil society. It's important to continue and even deepen this engagement to build existing trust and ensure that the voices of victims and survivors are heard. We recall that in the endeavor to fight impunity, it's crucial for all States to fulfill their obligations under the Rome Statute and in accordance with security council resolution 1970. This includes arresting and transferring to the ICC individuals who are the subjects of arrest warrants. Before concluding, we wish to recall the recent conviction of Ali Mohammed Abd al Rahman in the Darfur situation, the first judgment arising from a Security Council Referral under Resolution 1593.

This outcome demonstrates that referrals by the Council can indeed deliver concrete judicial results, and it reinforces the significance of the first trials expected to proceed in the Libya situation. Finally, we reaffirm our steadfast and unwavering support for the Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution. We strongly reiterate our commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute, safeguarding its integrity against any threats and actions aimed at the Court, its officials, or its partners. Such actions are counterproductive to our shared goal of ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes, promoting the rule of law, and fostering lasting respect for international law, including human rights.