24 Jun 2011

UN / TUNISIA ROME STATUTE WRAP

Tunisia is the 116th state and the first country in North Africa to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. At a ceremony at the UN headquarters today, Tunisian Ambassador Ghazi Jomaa said the instrument is an effort to “set the foundation of a democratic state embracing principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law.” UNTV

Posted at: June 24, 2011 3:25 pm

Duration: 01:52

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / TUNISIA ROME STATUTE WRAP
TRT: 1:52
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 24 JUNE 2011, UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT

SHOTLIST:

RECENT - UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters

24 JUNE 2011, UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, speakers at press conference
3. Cutaway, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ghazi Jomaa, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations:
"Tunisia is witnessing historic changes as a result of the 14 January revolution lead by its brave young men and women eager to enjoy democracy, freedom and dignity. Since then genuine efforts are being taken to set the foundation of a democratic state embracing principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law."
5. Cutaway, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Wenaweser, President, Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court:
"Tunisia is the first state from northern Africa to join the Rome Statute, the 4th member of the Arab League to do so and overall the 116th state party to this treaty."
7. Cutaway, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Christian Wenaweser, President, Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court:
"The work of the committee is going on. The applications are being received. Twenty-four names from all regional groups have been submitted to the committee today. Twenty-one of them are in the continued act of consideration. The process is still open and applications are still coming in."
9. Cutaway, journalists
10. Med shot, end of press conference
11. Various shots, UN Secretary-General and Head of Legal Affairs Patricia O'Brien receiving the official document from Ambassador Ghazi Jomaa

STORYLINE:

At a ceremony at the United Nations (UN) today (24 June), Tunisia became the 116th state and the first country in North Africa to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world's first permanent court tasked with trying people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Earlier this year, the country witnessed a popular uprising, the first of many across North Africa and the Middle East calling for democratic reforms that removed the long-standing regime of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

At a press conference, Ambassador Ghazi Jomaa from Tunisia said the move was in an effort "to set the foundation of a democratic state embracing principles of democracy, human rights and rule of law."

Ambassador Christian Wenaweser of Liechtenstein, the President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, welcomed Tunisia's accession, calling this a historic day.

He added that Tunisia is the fourth member of the Arab League to become a state party to the statute. Other Arab League members include Jordon, Comoros and Djibouti.

On finding a replacement for the outgoing ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Ambassador Wenaweser said the search committee, led by Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, said the "process is still open and applications are still coming in."

The ICC, which is based in The Hague, was set up in 2002 after the Statute took effect that year when it passed a total of 60 ratifications.

It is currently investigating six situations: Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Darfur region in western Sudan, the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya and Libya.