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July 17, 2015 marks the World Day for International Justice, or, otherwise, the International Criminal Justice Day. On this day in 1998, the Statute of the International Criminal Court was passed. The International Criminal Court was established on documentary basis with the aim to administer criminal justice towards physical persons liable for the gravest crimes arousing the concern of the entire international community. The International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction extends over the crimes below: crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes (committed during both international and non-international armed conflicts), and crimes of aggression.

Armenia signed the Statute on October 1, 1999 but has not ratified it so far. This means that Armenia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. And on August 13, 2004, the RA Constitutional Court ruled that a number of Statute provisions fail to comply with the RA Constitution.

Based on the inadmissibility of impunity for crimes and necessity to administer justice for each single case as stipulated in the Statute, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor urges the competent agencies to ratify the Statute of the International Criminal Court and thus recognize its jurisdiction.