Prosecutor Jallow Delivers Keynote Speech on Multilateral Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance for International Crimes at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ibiro bya Porokireri
Statement
The Hague
Prosecutor Jallow Delivers Keynote Speech on Multilateral Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance for International Crimes at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs

At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in The Hague, Justice Hassan B. Jallow, Prosecutor of the ICTR and the MICT, gave a keynote speech at a strategic meeting of supporting States for an international convention on mutual legal assistance for international crimes.

Speaking on the theme “Towards a Multilateral Treaty for Mutual Legal Assistance for international crimes” on 23 June 2015 in The Hague, Prosecutor Jallow expressed his strong support for an international convention stating that it can “provide a universal framework for a multilateral approach to cooperation and assistance leading to harmonized domestic legislation, streamlining of policies and procedures, and a uniformity of approach to international cooperation and legal assistance”. Prosecutor Jallow remarked that the international community should now put serious efforts into making this convention a reality, in particular given that as the ad hoc international criminal tribunals and the hybrid courts complete their respective mandates, the primary responsibility of prosecuting international crimes now rests on national jurisdictions.

Prosecutor Jallow added that an international convention on mutual legal assistance for international crimes can encourage States to create in their respective national jurisdictions specialized international crimes units dedicated exclusively to the investigation and prosecution of international crimes and which can also serve as focal points for their counterparts in other States.

Prosecutor Jallow concluded by thanking the International Crimes Unit of the Public Prosecution Service and the Government of The Netherlands for their excellent cooperation and partnership with the ICTR and the MICT and for their strong support of the laudable proposal for a multilateral convention on mutual legal assistance for international crimes.