Mtumbatu
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 27, 2012
- 362
- 170
TANZANIA POLICE KILLING DO NOT MEET THE DEFINITION OF GENOCIDE, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY OR WAR CRIMES AS DEFINED IN ARTICLES 6 TO 8 OF THE ROME STATUTE.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has turned down a petition to investigate Tanzania for alleged extra-judicial killings and gross violation of citizen rights.
The court rejected the appeal filed in September last year by the Legal and Human Right Centre (LHRC) asking the Hague-based institution to consider opening an investigation into crimes against humanity and other human rights violations perpetuated by security forces.
The LHRC petition accuses the government of complicity and condoning killings by security forces. It claims at least 237 innocent people have been killed since 2003.
But on Wednesday, the Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor at ICC, Mr M.P. Dillon, wrote to LHRC announcing the decision not to open the case.
According to Mr Dillon, the matters raised by the LHRC and evidence available did not meet the threshold for launching local investigations.
The claims against Tanzania, he added, did not fall within the court's jurisdiction as they do not meet the definition of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes as defined in Articles 6 to 8 of the Rome Statute.
In a letter to Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba, the LHRC executive director, Mr Dillon writes: "The prosecutor has, therefore, determined that there is not a basis at this time to proceed further."
"However, the information you have submitted will be maintained in our archives, and the decision not to proceed may be reconsidered in the light of new facts or information."
The ICC official advised the petitioner to pursue justice with national authorities within Tanzania or raise the same concerns with other appropriate international authorities.
On Thursday, Dr Kijo-Bisimba told The Citizen on Saturday that the ICC stand will not deter their quest to ensure perpetrators of the crimes are brought to book.
"I am not disappointed even though it would have been better for the ICC to consider an investigation," she said in an exclusive interview at the LHRC offices in Dar es Salaam.
"But at least our aim to highlight in the international stage human right violations in our country has been achieved."
Source : ICC says it won't investigate police killings in Tanzania - National - thecitizen.co.tz
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has turned down a petition to investigate Tanzania for alleged extra-judicial killings and gross violation of citizen rights.
The court rejected the appeal filed in September last year by the Legal and Human Right Centre (LHRC) asking the Hague-based institution to consider opening an investigation into crimes against humanity and other human rights violations perpetuated by security forces.
The LHRC petition accuses the government of complicity and condoning killings by security forces. It claims at least 237 innocent people have been killed since 2003.
But on Wednesday, the Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor at ICC, Mr M.P. Dillon, wrote to LHRC announcing the decision not to open the case.
According to Mr Dillon, the matters raised by the LHRC and evidence available did not meet the threshold for launching local investigations.
The claims against Tanzania, he added, did not fall within the court's jurisdiction as they do not meet the definition of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes as defined in Articles 6 to 8 of the Rome Statute.
In a letter to Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba, the LHRC executive director, Mr Dillon writes: "The prosecutor has, therefore, determined that there is not a basis at this time to proceed further."
"However, the information you have submitted will be maintained in our archives, and the decision not to proceed may be reconsidered in the light of new facts or information."
The ICC official advised the petitioner to pursue justice with national authorities within Tanzania or raise the same concerns with other appropriate international authorities.
On Thursday, Dr Kijo-Bisimba told The Citizen on Saturday that the ICC stand will not deter their quest to ensure perpetrators of the crimes are brought to book.
"I am not disappointed even though it would have been better for the ICC to consider an investigation," she said in an exclusive interview at the LHRC offices in Dar es Salaam.
"But at least our aim to highlight in the international stage human right violations in our country has been achieved."
Source : ICC says it won't investigate police killings in Tanzania - National - thecitizen.co.tz
