International Criminal Court (ICC) – Registry Holds Workshops in Uganda

Last week in Soroti town, Uganda, officials from the Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) conducted one-day workshops with local leaders from the Teso region, including the districts of Amuria, Katakwi and Soroti.^[1] On February 6, ICC officials met with clan leaders from the Amuria district, and the following day convened with participants representing civil society organizations, local councils, the judiciary, and security organs from Amuria and the other Teso districts.^[2] The Registry officials responded to participants’ concerns and recommendations and gave out information on how victims can take part in the Court’s proceedings.^[3] The Registry held the workshops to strengthen the locals’ understanding of the Court and boost outreach networks.^[4]

The Registry is the administrative organ with responsibility for the non-judicial functions of the ICC.^[5] In a plenary session, the judges of the ICC elect the head of the Registry, called the Registrar, by an “absolute majority.”^[6] The Registrar serves full-time for five years and can be re-elected once for an additional five-year term.^[7] If needed, the Court can also elect a Deputy Registrar.^[8]

The Registry functions under its own set of regulations, the Regulations of the Registry, which we have discussed in the past.

Among the other functions of the office, the Registry is the “channel of communication” for the Court, facilitating communication between the Court and parties to Court proceedings, and between the Court and the world at large.^[9]

According to the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, the Registry also runs a Victims and Witnesses unit, responsible for providing appropriate assistance to victims and witnesses.^[10] As part of their function as the communications channel and their duties regarding victims and witnesses, the Registry officials met with the locals groups in Uganda to distribute information on how victims could participate in Court proceeding. The officials listened to recommendations from the locals on ways to disseminate information at the grassroots level and to the locals’ concerns about confidentiality.^[11]

The conflict in northern Uganda led the Ugandan government to refer the situation to the ICC in December 2003.^[12] The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen, who, as leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army, have been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.^[13]

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[1] ICC Holds Workshops with Clan Leaders from Uganda’s Amuria District, ICC-CPI-20070201-199-EN, Feb. 6, 2007 and ICC Holds Workshop with Stakeholders from Uganda’s Teso Region, ICC-CPI-20070702-200-EN, Feb. 7, 2007.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, U.N. Doc. A/CONF. 183/9, Article 43(1).
[6] Rome Statute, Art. 43(4) and Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Rule 12(3).
[7] Rome Statute, Art. 43(5).
[8] Rules of Procedure and Evidence, U.N. Doc PCNICC/200/INF/3/Add.3, Rules 12(4) and (5).`
[9] Rule 13(1).
[10] Rome Statute, Art. 43(6).
[11] ICC Holds Workshops with Clan Leaders from Uganda’s Amuria District, and ICC Holds Workshop with Stakeholders from Uganda’s Teso Region.
[12] Statement of the Chief Prosecutor on the Uganda Arrest Warrants, Oct. 4, 2005.
[13] Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen, Case ICC-02/04-01/05.