ICC chief urges Int'l community to support Libya end violence

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal’s Court, Fatou Bensouda has urged the international community to galvanize support for Libyan authorities.

This she said will help bring stability to the North African nation and end the cycle of violence.

“The implosion of Libya must carry a heavy burden on the conscience of the international community and galvanize meaningful action to assist the Libyan authorities to bring stability to the country, and an end to the cycle of violence, atrocities and impunity”, Bensousa said.

On the outstanding arrest warrant for three ICC fugitives, Bensouda said her office has reliable information on their whereabouts.

“The three ICC fugitives stand accused of grave international crimes. These crimes include the war crimes of murder, torture, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity, and the crimes against humanity of persecution, imprisonment, torture, and other inhumane acts. My Office has reliable information on the current whereabouts of all three suspects. Yet, Mr Gaddafi, Mr Al-Tuhamy and Mr Al-Werfalli remain at large, and justice still eludes the victims of their alleged crimes”, the ICC Chief Prosecutor added.

Elmahdi Elmajerbi is Libya’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

“My government understands the assertions of the prosecutor vis-à-vis the slow pace of pursuing some suspects by the Libyan judiciary. This is attributed to the security situation in Libya as a result of military confrontations that calmed down but re-emerged in a vicious circle of violence, and also as a result of the unwholly offensive against Tripoli and its suburbs, carried out by Haftar forces. We recall that among suspects pursued by national judiciary and the ICC are those persons who no longer live on the territory of the Libyan state”, he said.

He added that “among suspects pursued by national judiciary and the ICC are those persons who no longer live on the territory of the Libyan state.”

AP