The Hague: Europe and the Arabs
The President of the International Criminal Court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, confirmed that the challenges facing the court will not prevent it from carrying out the mandate entrusted to it “independently and impartially.” He also referred to the "worrying measures" taken by Russia against the court's judges.
Piotr Hofmansky's statements came while presenting the court's annual report to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, Monday. It is noteworthy that the International Criminal Court is an independent body and is not part of the United Nations system. According to a statement issued by the court’s headquarters and distributed to journalists via email.
Hofmansky spoke of the court's recent exposure to "completely unacceptable threats and attacks."
He referred to the criminal proceedings initiated by Russia against six judges of the International Criminal Court and the court's chief prosecutor, and placed these individuals, including Hofmansky himself, on a wanted list.
He said, "All of this is because we are fulfilling our mandate, whether at the level of carrying out judicial or administrative tasks." He described these measures as "an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary at the international level."
He explained that these procedures had begun in response to the two arrest warrants issued by the court regarding the situation in Ukraine, last March.
He stressed that the International Criminal Court operates within the scope of its jurisdiction, noting that Ukraine issued a declaration under Article 12 of the Rome Statute, on the basis of which the Court was established, accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
This means that the Court has jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed in Ukraine regardless of the identity and nationality of the alleged perpetrators.
Hofmansky also expressed grave concern about the recent cyberattack on the court's information systems, noting that these attacks are a dangerous attempt to undermine its mandate.

Threats of armed conflicts
Hofmansky stressed the importance of the court continuing its work at a time when the threat of armed conflict and atrocity crimes in the world does not fade.
The President of the International Criminal Court said: “This is a painful time for our common humanity. My heart breaks at the reports of wars and attacks against civilians, and the suffering of our fellow human beings around the world.”
He pointed out the importance of the court's presence to help ensure the application of critical international law standards that serve to protect peace, security, and the well-being of humanity.