Statement by Hon. Justice Alhaji Hassan Bubacar Jallow (PDF)
27 October 2016, Banjul, The Gambia
“I have learnt with great dismay and disappointment of the reported decision of the government of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC is today an important court of last resort for victims of international crimes world-wide. African states, and The Gambia in particular, have supported the court very strongly. They should continue to do so, to ensure justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators of international crimes.
The challenges which currently confront the ICC and the States Parties to the Rome Statute can, in my view, be resolved through dialogue, which will see the continued engagement of The Gambia and the rest of Africa with the ICC.
I most earnestly appeal to His Excellency, President Sheikh Professor Alhaji Yahya Jammeh Babili Mansa and his government to reconsider and reverse their decision. Similarly, I reiterate the call by the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA), of which I am a member, for Burundi and South Africa to reconsider their decisions and remain members of the Rome Statute.
Lastly, I appeal to the ICC to do its part and initiate a dialogue with the concerned States Parties, to seek a resolution of their concerns in a way that will promote the cause of justice and accountability globally. As always, the AGJA holds itself available to facilitate this process.”
