The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is calling on Kuwait to take the necessary steps to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Increased ratifications of the Statute in the region will further strengthen the global voice at the Court and result in a more robust and meaningful participation in the global struggle to establish a truly fair, effective and independent ICC.

To date, the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) has 3 States Parties to the Rome Statute – Jordan, Djibouti, and the Comoros Islands. The region also has 11 signatories (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Syria, UAE and Yemen). Kuwait signed the Rome Statute on September 8, 2000 and the Kuwaiti Coalition for the International Criminal Court (KCICC) was formed in Kuwait City in May 2007, bringing the total number of ICC Coalitions in the MENA region to ten.

The region has a growing human rights movement and the Coalition today has almost 300 active member organizations spread across almost every country in the region. Through its strengthened regional efforts targeting civil society, parliamentarians, and governments, the Coalition is pushing for an increased number of ratifications and full implementation of the Rome Statute in all the countries in MENA, which is the most underrepresented region at the Court.

The Coalition therefore appeals to Kuwait to ratify the Rome Statute and to fully support this first permanent, independent court capable of investigating and bringing to justice individuals who commit the most serious violations of international law, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Take action now!

Write a letter to the Amir of Kuwait to encourage him to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

You might like to use the following letter as a guide.

Please be sure to cc all contacts below when sending your letters.

Send your letter to:
H.H. Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jabir Al-Sabah
Amir
P.O. Box 3, Al Safa
Kuwait City
Kuwait 13001
Tel: +965-5391111
Fax: +965 -2420429 / +1-212-370-1733
Email: [email protected]

H.H. Nasir Muhammad Al-Ahmad al-Sabah
Prime Minister
P.O. Box 3, Al Safa
Kuwait City
Kuwait 13001
Tel: +965-5391111
Fax: +965 -2420429 / / +1-212-370-1733
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Muhammad Al-Sabah Al-Salim Al-Sabah
Minister of Foreign Affairs
P.O. Box 3, Al Safa
Kuwait City
Kuwait 13001
Tel: +965-2425141
Fax: +965 -2420429 / / +1-212-370-1733
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Abdallah Abd Al-Rahman al-Matuq
Minister of Justice
P.O. Box 3, Al Safa
Kuwait City
Kuwait 13001
Tel: +965-2486012 / 2465600
Fax: +965-2442257 / +1-212-370-1733
Email: Email: [email protected]

Your Excellency:

I am writing to urge you to ensure Kuwait’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC as soon as possible. The Court’s first cases in Uganda, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan signify that it is moving forward in its crucial work to end impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Kuwait’s support for this new and vital system of international justice by ratifying the Rome Statute is therefore of utmost importance.

Commendably, Kuwait signed the Rome Statute of the ICC on September 8th 2000, soon after the Treaty was finalized on July 17th 1998. As you well know, the Rome Statute came into force in July 2002 and now has the support of more than half of the world’s nations. With Japan’s accession on July 17th 2007, a historic benchmark of 105 states have now acceded to or ratified the treaty and 139 are signatories. The new system of international justice represented by the International Criminal Court is an important tool that will ensure that the most serious international crimes no longer go unpunished. Arab nations are instrumental in building and strengthening this new justice system, and their support to the International Criminal Court is vital to its success and efficiency.

Kuwait should join the rest of the world in the determination to cooperate for the prevention of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and to put an end to impunity of perpetrators thereof, by adhering to the new system of international justice created by the Rome Statute.

Yours sincerely,