Originally published on the CGS blog on March 4, 2011.
Good news: the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced this week that he will launch an investigation into recent attacks on civilians in Libya.
The situation in Libya was referred days ago to the ICC by the U.N. Security Council when that body passed Resolution 1970, which condemned Libya’s attacks on its citizens during recent violence in that country. Because Libya is not a state party to the ICC, the Court needed the UNSC’s referral in order to look into launching an investigation. Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo announced on Thursday, March 3 that he would do so, after concluding that the preliminary evidence indicates that a Court investigation is warranted. To read the ICC’s press release on the launch of the investigation, click here.
As someone who works on both the ICC and genocide prevention as part of my job, I’m very pleased that the ICC’s decision to investigate the events in Libya. I am glad to see both the United Nations and the ICC stepping up to the plate to condemn and take action against the unconscionable attacks on civilians which are taking place in the country. The world is watching Libya and Colonel Gaddafi’s government, and I hope that violence against civilians will quickly cease and those responsible for these vicious attacks will be swiftly brought to justice by the international community.
