Argentine Judge elected by peers to head the International Criminal Court

[forest444]

Last edited Sun Mar 15, 2015, 11:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: MercoPress

Judges of the ICC, sitting in a plenary session, elected Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi as president of the court for a three-year term with immediate effect, the organization said in a news release.

“I will do my utmost to live up to the trust that my fellow judges have placed in me,” the lawyer and diplomat told UN Radio, adding that she was looking forward to working “in fulfilling the ICC’s important mandate for the sake of justice, peace and the rule of law.”

Fernández de Gurmendi has years of experience of international and humanitarian law and in human rights. The judge has acted as the Argentine representative in cases before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Inter-American Court of Justice. She has also represented Argentina before world and regional human rights bodies and advised on transitional justice issues related to the prevention of genocide and other international crimes.

She has published a number of national and international publications related to the International Criminal Court including, among others, the role of the Prosecutor, criminal procedure, and the definitions of victims, the ICC explained. She replaces Judge Sang-Hyun-song of South Korea as president of the ICC.

Read more: http://en.mercopress.com/2015/03/13/argentine-judge-elected-by-peers-head-of-the-international-criminal-court

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I should note Argentina is the only country in the world to have systemically tried human rights offenders regardless of military rank or having civilian/clergy status, rather than merely prosecuting a few former dictators or generals. Indeed, most countries with past or ongoing dirty wars have refused to do even that (or, like Colombia, Honduras, or Mexico, even admit a dirty war has taken place at all).

To be fair, it's incredibly difficult - both the effort in itself and because opposition from the right will be fierce and relentless. It certainly takes courage.

[bemildred]

1. And yet no fight is more worthwhile. nt

[forest444]

3. Worthwhile, but unfortunately rare these days.

The far right in Latin America has learned that by conducting politically-motivated dirty wars under a "democratic" government and under the guise of a "drug war," it's much easier to deny that there's a problem at all - especially with highly-consolidated media monopolies on their side. It's easier not only for the repressive countries where the atrocities happen; but also, sadly, for Washington (even under someone like President Obama).

I mean, compare Carter's active opposition to dirty wars in Argentina ans elsewhere then, to Obama's almost complete obliviousness to the dirty wars in Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico now:

[Demeter]

2. And across America, the Guilty are Cowering

because their trials will come...