Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians on the ICC

The Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians on the International Criminal Court and the rule of law has urged the international community to move toward restoring constitutional legality in The Gambia.

The Assembly of Parliamentarians of the ICC took place on Saturday in Dakar at a time when some African countries, such as neighboring Gambia, have decided to withdraw from the international court.

Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court said, “It is absolutely essential for the effectiveness of the Court, for the legitimacy of the Court, that states remain in the system. If they want to change the system it is always better to be in it”.

Senegal, which shares a border with the Gambia, condemned the country’s President Yahya Jammeh’s turnaround rejecting the results of the December 1 election a week after conceding defeat.

“I believe that if there are coup attempts, the Democrats of the world must mobilize for the respect of legality and legitimacy in The Gambia. We call for a mobilization of all the democrats of the world so that the verdict Of the ballot boxes is respected in The Gambia, said Senegal MP, Mamadou Lamine Thiam.

The ICC is increasingly being challenged by countries in Africa, where leaders have criticized what they describe as a witch hunt of solely African leaders.

AFP