ICC Prosecutor and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights pledge to further strengthen collaboration

​On Wednesday, 15 October 2014, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the meeting, Prosecutor Bensouda congratulated High Commissioner Zeid on his recent appointment as the sixth United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and together they discussed ways to further strengthen collaboration between their respective Offices.  “Fostering respect for human rights and accountability for mass crimes are critical and complementary goals,” said Prosecutor Bensouda. “As with his predecessor, Mrs. Navi Pillay, High Commissioner Zeid is an esteemed champion of human rights and the rule of law.  I look forward to working closely with him and to explore additional avenues for synergies that can be pursued with full respect for our respective independent mandates,” she added.

"The ICC plays an essential role in contributing to accountability for serious human right violations and other international crimes," Commissioner Zeid said. "We see its involvement in certain situations as a vital element not only for the purposes of accountability but also as a disincentive to others to commit such crimes and violations."

The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial investigations and prosecution of the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.  The Office of the Prosecutor is currently conducting eight investigations in Uganda; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; Central African Republic; Kenya; Libya; Cote d’Ivoire and Mali. The Office is also conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia Guinea, Honduras, Iraq, Nigeria, Ukraine and the situation referred by the Union of the Comoros.

As the principal United Nations office mandated to promote and protect human rights for all, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) leads global human rights efforts, speaks out objectively in the face of human rights violations worldwide. OHCHR provide a forum for identifying, highlighting and developing responses to today's human rights challenges, and acts as the principal focal point of human rights research, education, public information, and advocacy activities in the United Nations system.

Since Governments have the primary responsibility to protect human rights, the OHCHR provides assistance to Government, such as expertise and technical trainings in the areas of administration of justice, legislative reform, and electoral process, to help implement international human rights standards on the ground.  It also supports National Human Rights institutions and engages with civil society actors. 

For further information, please contact: [email protected].