Moldovan authorities delay the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

The experts of the organization for human rights protection, Amnesty International Moldova (AIM) says that Moldovan authorities delay the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (IPC), as well as the draft Law on the amendment of the Constitution in order to ratify the Rome Statute of IPC. According to a pres release of the organization, AIM solicited the Government in a message remitted on July 17, International Day of Justice to fasten this procedure. The experts of AIM state that although the Rome Statute of IPC was signed by Moldova on September 8, 2000, the process of ratification is slow. In January-April 2006, the Ministry of Justice drafted and sent to the Government those two draft laws to which also no attention was paid. According to them, by this document, the incompatibilities between the Rome Statute of IPC and the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova will be eliminated, in order to ensure equality to all citizens in front of IPC. Particularly the solicited modifications will allow handing over Moldovan citizens to international courts, including IPC, to cancel the immunity of MPs and President. Ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is included in the Moldova-EU Action Plan. Although state authorities plan to ratify it until the end of 2006, the experts of AIM state that finishing this process in 2006 is impossible in light of the necessary legislative procedures. IPC is an impartial and standing court, created for the investigation and examination of the cases when the human rights are gravely violated: genocide crimes, against humanity, war and aggression crimes. The Rome Statute of IPC was adopted on July 17, 1998 and came into force on July 1, 2002. On July 17, 2006 the Rome Statute was ratified 100 countries.