EU day against impunity: we stand with victims of crime as they seek justice

“We mark this day at a time when the rules-based international order is under unprecedented pressure. Across the world, serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law are being committed with alarming frequency. The international community must continue to walk a principled path founded on the rule of law. Impunity for core international crimes is not only a betrayal of victims, but a direct threat to peace processes and people's hope for reconciliation in many countries around the world. As repeatedly underlined in European Parliament resolutions, there can be no lasting peace without justice, and no justice without accountability. In this context, we underscore the indispensable role of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC represents our collective determination to ensure that those who commit the most heinous crimes are held to account. This Parliament has repeatedly expressed full support for the Court’s independence and condemned all forms of political pressure, attacks or retaliation against it. We call on the EU to activate the blocking statute as a matter of urgency, to protect the Court from the effects of US sanctions and we call on all Member States to cooperate fully with the ICC and the relevant accountability processes. Crucially, responses to impunity must be victim-centred. Justice must restore dignity to those who have suffered. Victims have the right to the truth, to redress, and to meaningful participation in...