Syroyid points to importance of Rome Statute ratification
Information Department 15 December 2015, 15:40
When
delivering a speech at the opening of a workshop on experience exchange among
experts and parliamentarians concerning the International Criminal Court and
protection of civil population on Tuesday, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna
Rada of Ukraine Oksana Syroyid recalled that ratifying the Rome Statute was one
of the commitments Ukraine undertook in the framework of the Association
Agreement with the EU.
Syroyid also noted that the Verkhovna Rada adopted two decisions, which she
said, "proclaim prospects of acknowledging the jurisdiction of the
International Criminal Court" - "this decision of February 2014,
having relation to the actions of former government during the Maidan, and of
February 2015 - regarding crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by
senior officials of the Russian Federation and terrorist organizations - Donetsk
and Luhansk People's Republics."
"Now in the course of the constitutional reform, in particular, of the
drafted amendments to the Constitution as regards judiciary reform, we have an
ability of the Rome Statute ratification in three years after the entry into
force of the law on amendments to the Constitution," she said.
The Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada emphasized that during these three
years after the adoption of amendments to the Constitution regarding reforming
the system of justice, it is necessary to introduce into the Criminal Code a
concept of crimes against humanity, "because there is no such a concept in
the legislation." "Also we should have revised criminal procedure
legislation in order to prepare for the ratification of the Rome Statute, in
particular concerning the conduct of processes related to war crimes and crimes
against humanity and humankind," Syroyid said.