FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 August 2013

Global Coalition Urges Malaysia to Join the International Criminal Court

Says Council of Ministers-Approved Should be Finalized Without Further Delay
Manila, the Philippines/New YorkMalaysia should move without further delay to ratify the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Coalition for the ICC said today. Malaysia is the Coalitions focus country for its Universal Ratification Campaign (URC), a monthly campaign to encourage more states to join the ICC. In a letter dated 6 August sent to Malaysias Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, the Coalition urged the government to complete Malaysias already advanced ratification process. In 2011, the Malaysian Council of Ministers approved ratification. Typically, once the Council approves, an international treaty is ratified without further delay. Normally, the government would have deposited its instrument of ratification with the United Nations right after the 2011 approval by the Council of Ministers. However, this time, there have been delays, said Evelyn Balais Serrano, the Coalitions regional coordinator for AsiaPacific. Wed like to see Malaysia make good on its commitment to justice by ensuring it joins now. Completing the process will send a strong signal of Malaysias serious efforts to comply with its human rights and rule of law commitments. Malaysias civil society has been particularly active recently, writing formal letters to government departments to inquire about the status of Rome Statute ratification in 2013. They have built awareness around with several articles around International Justice Day on 17 July, which Usha Kulasegaran, member of the Bar Council Human Rights Committee in Malaysia, called a day worth commemorating worldwide by all nations who value justice and truth. Kulasegaran and her colleagues will be planning a seminar on the ICC to commemorate this months URC on 23 August at the Malaysian Bar. As a state party, Malaysia will encourage other Asian countries to join the ICC and will reinforce the Asian voice before the Court. Currently, the region is the least represented before the ICC, with only nine states parties including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines and Timor Leste. Further, as a member of the Commonwealth nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Malaysias influence in generating regional and global support for the ICC could be important, especially as a founding, influential member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The government, with its fresh mandate from the recent election, can put behind it the stalling and make clear once and for all its willingness and determination to be an ally in the pursuit of international justice and rule of law, said Brigitte Suhr, director of regional programs at the Coalition. By joining the ICC, Malaysia can make an important contribution to Asias commitment to justice and its voice at the Court. Malaysia has a wealth of legal experts and expertise that it could contribute to this Court in its still formative years.

CONTACTS
In New York: Ms. Brigitte Suhr Director of Regional Programs Coalition for the ICC Tel: +1 (646) 465-8540 suhr@coalitionfortheicc.org Ms. Linda Gueye Head of Communications Coalition for the ICC Tel: + 1 646 465 8516 gueye@coalitionfortheicc.org In Manila: Ms. Evelyn Balais Serrano Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific Tel: +63 2 456 6196 serrano@coalitionfortheicc.org

BACKGROUND: The ICC is the world's first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Central to the Court's mandate is the principle of complementarity, which holds that the

Court will only intervene if national legal systems are unwilling or unable to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is a global network of civil society organizations in 150 countries working in partnership to strengthen international cooperation with the ICC; ensure that the Court is fair, effective and independent; make justice both visible and universal; and advance stronger national laws that deliver justice to victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. For more information, visit: www.coalitionfortheicc.org