http://www.panapress.com/Ethiopia--AU-vows-no-blanket-immunity-for-war-crimes-in-Africa--15-919576-30-lang2-index.html
Ethiopia: AU vows no blanket immunity for war crimes in Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - The African Union (AU) will intervene in
areas where crimes against humanity and war crimes are committed and
African leaders responsible for such crimes would be held accountable in
the ensuing efforts to bring peace, officials said Friday.
AU Commission Legal Counsel Vincent Nmehielle said the immunity from
prosecution granted to sitting heads of state under the recently endorsed
African Court of Justice and Human Rights Protocol is meant only for those
in office.
"The immunity is while in office. It is a generally accepted principle
around the world," Prof. Nmehielle said. "If a bastard Head of State
commits genocide there is a chance by the end of such the AU would have
commissioned action to ensure no impunity."
The Protocol is expected to come into force once 15 African countries have
signed and ratified it.
As of April 2014, only 27 out of 54 African countries had ratified the
Protocol creating the original court, which initially lacked powers to
prosecute criminal cases.
The new Protocol has 60 articles covering war crimes and crimes against
humanity. They also cover areas currently not covered by any international
law but are of interest to the AU.
Such include corruption, illicit exploitation of minerals, dumping of toxic
chemicals and corporate greed.
Mmehielle said while progress in upgrading the Court depended on the pace
of ratification, there was need to organise workshops across countries to
push for the ratification.
The Arusha-based Court is currently headed by Sophia Akuffo of Ghana.
PANA reports that the clarification by Prof. Mmehielle may have been
necessitated by the wave of criticism that has greeted the approval, by the
African leaders who met at their 23rd ordinary summit in Malabo, Equatorial
Guinea, recently to create the African Court of Justice and Human and
Peoples Rights.
The court will try 14 international crimes including genocide, crimes
against humanity, war crimes, piracy, corruption, mercenaries, money
laundering and unconstitutional changes of government.
The controversial amendment provides immunity from prosecution for sitting
African heads of state and senior government officials, thus attracting
criticism of rights groups.
In the latest criticism, the International Bar Association (IBA) and the
Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) expressed concerns about the
immunity clause.
The two NGOs called on African leaders not to sign or ratify the Protocol
-0- PANA AO/SEG 11July2014
11 july 2014 12:22:20
Received on Sat Jul 12 2014 - 12:52:25 EDT