Cyprus' Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Andreas Hadjichrysanthou made a statement to the UN Security Council on 2 June 2022 during the body's open debate on "Strengthening Accountability and Justice for Serious Violations of International Law".
In his intervention, Ambassador Mr. Hadjichrysanthou referred to the principles of international law established by the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal at the end of World War II, such as individual accountability for crimes against humanity and accountability and war crimes, as well as the clear clarification of war of aggression, which is now an international crime. He added that since then the international criminal justice system for indicting persons responsible for acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity has included national courts, ad hoc international tribunals and, most importantly, the International Criminal Court (ICC). Hadjichrysanthou reiterated that the Republic of Cyprus, which is itself a victim of aggression without having achieved accountability of the perpetrator, remains a staunch supporter of the ICC and stressed the need for full cooperation between the ICC and the UN including the referral to the ICC, by the UN Security Council, of cases of serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The Permanent Representative of Cyprus also stated that the Republic of Cyprus supports the conclusion as soon as possible of an international convention on crimes against humanity on the basis of the Draft Articles of the International Law Commission.
Mr. Hadjichrysanthou also stressed the important role played by the International Court of Justice of The Hague as an accountability mechanism for state responsibility, recalling that the Republic of Cyprus had already in 1988 submitted a declaration of acceptance of the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court and called on all UN member states to do the same.
In conclusion, Mr. He concluded that accountability is the cornerstone of international justice and that the international community should continue to work to improve the international criminal justice system on the basis of the progress achieved so far, but also to do more to implement the existing rules and make use of the institutions created for this purpose.
(IK)
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