The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) Voices that crimes are being committed by American occupation forces of Iraq, against Iraqi citizens and prisoners of war, constitute elements of crimes against humanity and war crimes in accordance with Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
ACIJLP points out that these crimes are being committed widely and systematically by American soldiers around many places in the world such as Aphganistan and Iraq. Accordingly, these crimes are the main cause of attack by American Administration against International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as US consequent insistence in undermining ICC’s role.
The center condemns bilateral judicial agreements that signed between US Administration and most of world states. These agreements are done by America in order to avoid and demolish the Rome Statute of ICC for the purpose of protection its soldiers involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity beyond United States borders.
ACIJLP expresses its extreme astonishment of many world states’ concern about committing US occupation’s crimes against Iraqis simultaneously with US bilateral agreements with these states on judicial cooperation to provide protection for those crimes perpetrators. It is worth mentioning, that some Arab countries signed such US pacts, for example Bahrain, Tunisia, Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco and Kuwait.
The Center considers proceeding of applying US agreements regarding not hand over American soldiers involved in crimes under jurisdiction of ICC, makes signed countries as an active partner of crimes against humanity and war crimes against Iraqi people.
ACIJLP calls upon sates that signed these accords to accelerate, if it has a real objection against crimes committing against Iraqi people and prisoners of war, eliminating pacts that support impunity and legal coverage for most cruel crimes against humanity. Moreover, US accords protect crimes perpetrators from prosecution before ICC and fair trial.
Furthermore, the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJL) appeals upon these sates to ratify on the Rome Statute of Permanent International Criminal Court as it is an effective means and practical procedure, instead of theoretical condemn and denouncement, to constrain crimes are being committed by US forces against Iraqi people. Therefore, this will be the preliminary step to try perpetrators of the most dangerous crimes as well as to implant international criminal justice.
