Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.

Under a new law signed today by US President George W. Bush, leaders of military forces and armed groups who have recruited child soldiers may be arrested and prosecuted in the United States.

Diplomats, judges, lawyers, human rights activists and members of nongovernmental organizations are currently marking the 10th anniversary of the completion of the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. The court's creation was an extraordinary step in extending the reach of law to those responsible for the mass slaughter of civilians and the use of rape as a weapon of war.

The decision by Sierra Leone’s war crimes court to reject sentence reductions for two convicted militia members because they fought for a “legitimate cause” is crucial in ensuring justice for all victims of human rights violations.

Because children are often physically vulnerable, easily intimidated, and susceptible to psychological manipulation, they typically make obedient soldiers.

On March 12 and 13, the Appeals Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone will hold hearings on appeals against the convictions and sentencing of Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa. These individuals were convicted on several counts of serious violations of international humanitarian law in connection with acts that they had committed, or had been responsible for, while members of the government-backed Civil Defence Forces (CDF) during Sierra Leone’s decade-long conflict. The upcoming hearings will raise a very important issue for the enforcement of international humanitarian law: whether applicable international legal standards allow factors such as political motivations and the party to the conflict for which a perpetrator fought to serve as a basis for mitigation in sentencing.

Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism.

Richard Dicker, director of Human Rights Watch’s International Justice Program, addresses the sixth session of the International Criminal Court's Assembly of States Parties. The ICC has made important strides in the past year. However, at this point in the court’s development—with six out of eight publicly issued arrest warrants outstanding—the most urgent and serious challenge facing the ICC is insufficient cooperation and support from states parties, non-states parties, and intergovernmental organizations.