The Registrar of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) Peter Lewis was on an official visit to Panama on 11 and 12 April 2019, to discuss strengthened cooperation with the Government and other stakeholders in the country.
“We are very grateful for Panama’s collaboration throughout the years. Dialogue and collaboration are essential to realising the Rome Statute’s goal of ensuring justice for the gravest crimes,” said ICC Registrar Peter Lewis. “During our meetings, the authorities of Panama reaffirmed their commitment to the fight against impunity, their strong support to the work and mandate of the Court and their engagement to continue cooperating with the ICC especially in the realm of voluntary agreements. Justice is a joint responsibility and, to that end, cooperation is key.”
In Panama City, the Registrar met with high-level representatives from the Government, including with the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, H.E. Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado, the Secretary General of the Attorney General Office, Dr. Rolando Rodriguez Cedeno, the Supreme Court judge Harry Diaz, the Superior tribunal of appeals judge Greta Marchosky, and Panama’s Ombudsman Dr Alfredo Castillero Hoyos. The Registrar also met with the United Nations’ Resident Coordinator Mr Harold Robinson to discuss possible synergies.
As a judicial institution, the ICC does not have its own police force or enforcement body; thus, it relies on cooperation with countries worldwide for support, particularly for making arrests, transferring arrested persons to the ICC detention centre in The Hague, freezing suspects’ assets, and enforcing sentences.
The Registrar’s mission to Panama forms part of broader efforts to enhance understanding and cooperation in all regions. It was facilitated in collaboration with the Government of Panama and the financial support from the European Commission.
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