LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has formally signed the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention, becoming one of the first countries to sign the first major treaty concerning international criminal law since the Rome Statute established the International Criminal Court (ICC). Malta was represented by its justice minister Jonathan Attard, who welcomed the signing of the convention as an important step for the prosecution of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. “The conflicts presently taking place in various parts of the world emphasise the need to strengthen the international law framework, including through such developments that provide new tools through which justice can be delivered and ensure that human rights enjoy stronger protections,” Attard said. The minister added that Malta’s decision to sign highlighted the government’s commitment to effective justice, including on an international level. The aim of the convention is made clear in its full official name: the Ljubljana–The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and other International Crimes. The first of the two cities named in the treaty, Ljubljana, is the city in which the text of the convention was agreed upon following negotiations last May. The Hague – the Dutch city in which the ICC is based – hosted the official signing ceremony in which 34 countries, including Malta, signed the treaty. The signing ceremony took place in the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice – the UN’s principal judicial body – and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The ICC, which is distinct from the ICJ, is based in nearby headquarters within The Hague’s international zone. The convention is the culmination of an initiative jointly launched by Belgium, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Argentina, with the aim of closing a significant gap in the international legal system: the absence of a multilateral treaty that sufficiently regulates mutual legal assistance. These four countries were later joined by Senegal and Mongolia in what became the “core group” spearheading the initiative. (ITALPRESS).
Foto: Ipa-Agency
