Azerbaijan wants to end impunity – tell it to join the ICC

Azerbaijan has said it wants to end impunity for mass crimes.

The best way to turn these words into action would be to become a member of the international court set up to do just that – the ICC.

Sign our petition or send a tweet calling on President Ilham Aliyev to accede to the ICC Rome Statute now!

Nearly 70 years after the Nuremburg trials, the world continues to suffer the horrors of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Forty-two states in Europe and Central Asia are ICC members. However, 12 others—including Azerbaijan—remain outside the system.

Azerbaijan included in its 2000 Criminal Code provisions on criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity and war crimes reflecting the definitions in the Rome Statute, and has made several statements at the United Nations Security Council in favor of the ICC.

Azerbaijan Deputy Permanent Representative Tofig F. Musayev at the November 2013 UNSC meeting on the situation in Libya said, “The contribution of the International Criminal Court to fighting against impunity is evident, and the Court’s activity to that end should be further supported.”

That’s why we are calling on Azerbaijan to accede to the Rome Statute.

By joining the Court, Azerbaijan will not only contribute to ending impunity but also prevent such crimes from taking place.

The protective shield and deterrent effect of international prosecutions increasingly give pause to individuals considering committing these crimes.

Tell Azerbaijan to help bring perpetrators of mass crimes to justice now!

Follow our Regional Coordinator for Europe Kirsten Meersschaert Duchens on Twitter