Czech Republic Contributes CZK 500,000 to Future OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology
In the picture, the Permanent Representative of Czech Republic to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Ms. Kateřina Sequensová and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias.
The Hague, Netherlands —06 December 2019 — The Government of the Czech Republic has contributed CZK 500,000 to a special Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store. This project will result in the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).
The contribution was formalised during a ceremony at the OPCW Headquarters between OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, and the Permanent Representative of Czech Republic to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Kateřina Sequensová.
The Permanent Representative of Czech Republic to the OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Kateřina Sequensová and OPCW Director-General, H.E. Mr Fernando Arias during the ceremony.
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of the Czech Republic for this major contribution to the new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology that will further build the capabilities of our Member States to achieve a world free of chemical weapons.”
Ambassador Sequensová remarked: “The Czech Republic is a staunch supporter of the OPCW and its indispensable work towards a world free of chemical weapons. We are, therefore, very pleased to be able to contribute to the ChemTech Centre project which is crucial for ensuring that the OPCW has the capability to keep pace with the latest developments in science and technology and new chemical weapons threats.’’
Director-General Arias appealed to all OPCW States Parties in a position to make voluntary contributions to do so. He further emphasised the important role the new ChemTech Centre will play in strengthening the OPCW’s ability to address chemical weapon threats, boost its investigative capability, and enhance capacity building activities. He highlighted that “all contributions, regardless of size, are greatly appreciated”.
So far, twenty-five States Parties and the European Union have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the project, and a considerable amount has been raised to date.
Uzbekistan, 22 December 2019. A bright winter’s day and the long awaited 2019 parliamentary and local council elections finally happened. The country is now at the brink of a new era, a New Uzbekistan, New Elections.
Uzbekistan renaissance! The country has developed a new election code, building on the experience of more than 50 countries. The electoral process benefitted greatly on the recommendations of the missions of international election observation organizations. These include the OSCE/ODIHR, SCO, CIS, the World Association of Electoral Bodies, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, proposals of the Venice Commission, as well as international electoral principles and standards.
Furthermore, consultations were held with political parties and representatives of self-government bodies. These entities were given the opportunity to observe the elections, thereby enhancing transparency and public accountability of the electoral process.
Emptying of the ballot box – Uzbekistan Parliamentarian and Local Council Elections at Uzbekistan State University of World Languages’ polling station. December 22, 2019.
The following parties were eligible to participate in the 2019 elections:
The Movement of Entrepreneurs and Business People
Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP),
Democratic Party Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival),
Social Democratic Party Adolat (Justice),
People’s Democratic Party (PDPU) and Ecological Party of Uzbekistan.
They were contesting the 150 seats in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan (the lower house of the parliament). Out of the 150 seats, the Electoral Code establishes a 30 % quota for women. The Senate will then be formed following the elections for the legislative chamber.
Uzbek family after voting
A call center was established at the Central Election Commission (CEC) international press center where one could get answers to any questions pertaining to the election. This initiative served to make the elections open and transparent. A Danish MP, Diplomat Magazine and representatives of media houses from Germany, Russia and Pakistan among others, were also in the country to observe the election procedures.
Congratulations to the National TV & Radio Company of Uzbekistan for coordinating and accompanying members of the foreign media.
Election day and the hours leading up to that epic moment. On Friday 20 December a televised “Demokratik Debate” took place at the Yuksalish Discussion Club which was packed to capacity. Mr. Amir Khan of NYE TV, a well-known TV personality served as moderator of the debate.
Leaders of all the five parties participated in the debate. Each was given a two minutes elevator pitch to promulgate his party. A lively Q&A session followed and there were questions coming in from callers within the region, Italy and from the USA.
Election Day 2019 – Saylov 2019
Ourdelegation visited polling stations in Tashkent, the greater Tashkent region and beyond.
The hours of voting in Uzbekistan was from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The National Anthem of Uzbekistan was played at the outset. This apparently, is quite a unique feature which does not commonly occur in other elections globally.
It was only after a thorough verification of the voters’ data in the unified electronic voter list (EESI), which currently includes 20.5 million citizens of Uzbekistan, a voter was furnished with the necessary 3 ballot papers.
The first polling station visited was No. 645, located in the impressive main hall of the Conservatory in the Shayhontohur district. The Presiding Officer was Mr. Mirpayorov Bahodir Olmovich.
We went to another polling station, the National Social Newspapers building in Nurafshon city where we were cordially received by the chairman, Mr. Tursunboyev Olim Samadovich.
The following polling station was a Youth Center, polling station no.172. The Presiding officer was the friendly Madam Marziya Egamberdiyeva.
We next visited Polling station no. 170 where we were again warmly welcomed by Presiding officer Ms. Khasanova Muhabbat, his team and a group of keen observers.
Presiding officer Mr. Bozorov Ixtigor providing instructions.
The last polling station to be visited and where we attended the 8:00 p.m. closing and counting of the casted ballots, was the prestigious Uzbekistan State University of World Languages.
The Presiding officer was Mr. Bozorov Ixtiyor. Mr. Ixtiyor shared with us that 1,572 individuals had voted at this station. He further mentioned that contrary to other polling stations, he did not the play the recorded national anthem but he and his team gave a vocal rendition of the national anthem.
Tashkent City, 24 December 2019, the preliminary results of the elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, were announced by the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Mr. Mirzo-Ulugbek Abdusalomov.
Manual counting of the ballot papers is in progress – Uzbekistan Parliamentarian and Local Council Elections.
The results are as follows: –
The Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan – 43 seats;
Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party – 35 seats;
Adolat Social Democratic Party – 21 seats;
People’s Democratic Party – 18 seats;
Ecological Party – 11 seats.
No candidate was elected in 22 constituencies, due to none of them being able to obtain the required majority of votes. As a result, a run-off vote will be organized in two weeks in the constituencies concerned. The final results will be announced later.
The voters turnout was put at 71.1%. A minimum of 33% of those included in the voter lists is required to validate the results. Voting is not compulsory in Uzbekistan. It is also possible to vote by post.
The overall ambiance of the election day was one of calm and discipline. This serene mood and character, is perhaps befitting that of the hospitable Uzbek nation. The Uzbek electoral process took place smoothly and we have not learned of any anomalies.
Since Tuesday, 26 November 2019, Albania is constantly being hit by numerous and intense earthquakes causing ripples of damage and devastation.
The most powerful earthquake, of magnitude 6.4, hit in at 03:54 AM the two biggest cities, DurrĂ«s – costal city and Tirana – capital of Albania, as well as surrounding residential areas.
50 people and counting are found dead, over 700 and counting injured, and thousands are homeless (not yet counted): this is so far, the balance of a day that will be long remembered as the tragedy of November 26, 2019 for Albania.Â
At this point, emergency rescue teams are still working to find the survivors. Their work is made more difficult by continuous and frequent aftershocks, hitting with high level magnitudes. On a frequent manner, the ground in Tirana and Durres continues to still vibrate, as civil emergency units, state representatives, volunteers are scrambling to help those in need.
These aftershocks are also causing a new wave of homeless people, as damaged buildings receive aftershocks and become inhabitable.
The government of Albania is organising provisional shelters in other areas of the country in close cooperation with the citizens and the private sector in Albania. Yet a lot of resources are needed to rebuild their lives.
In the name of solidarity and assistance at this moment, a direct link is made available for those who wish to donate. The link is https://e-albania.al/donate/
On behalf of the numerous families of the victims and those affected by the earthquakes, the Embassy of Republic of Albania to The Kingdom of The Netherlands kindly asks you to distribute and circulate this Appeal for Support to a broad range of contacts and stakeholders, who can help these families during this very difficult time.
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, issues Report on Preliminary Examination Activities (2019).
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”), Mrs Fatou Bensouda, published during the first week of the month her annual Report on Preliminary Examination Activities. The report details the preliminary examination activities carried out by the Office of the Prosecutor (“OTP” or “Office”) during the period 1 December 2018 – 30 November 2019, in relation to nine situations under consideration for possible investigation.
During the reporting period, one preliminary examination – the situation in Bangladesh/Myanmar – was completed: on 4 July 2019, the Office requested authorisation from Pre-Trial Chamber III to proceed with an investigation into the situation concerning the alleged deportation of the Rohingya people from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (“Myanmar”) to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (“Bangladesh”). The authorisation to investigate was granted on 14 November 2019 and the preliminary examination was therefore closed.
The Office further appealed the decision by Pre-Trial Chamber II of 12 April 2019, rejecting the request of the Prosecutor to proceed with an investigation of the situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Additionally, the Prosecutor filed her reconsideration decision with respect to the referral brought by the Comoros, following the Appeals Chamber’s judgement.
During 2019, the Office has continued its preliminary examinations of the situations in Colombia, Guinea, Iraq/United Kingdom (“UK”), Nigeria, Palestine, the Philippines, and Ukraine, all of which are now at the admissibility stage (complementarity and gravity), and in Venezuela, where the Office has been working to finalise its assessment of subject-matter jurisdiction.
Additionally, the Office received 795 communications pursuant to article 15 of the Statute. Of these, 617 were found to be manifestly outside the jurisdiction of the Court. Moreover, the Office responded to the senders of communications with respect to four situations that had been subject to further analysis and reached conclusion, summaries of which are included in this year’s report.
The report provides a summary of the status of each situation under preliminary examination, including the Office’s current analyses with regard to issues of jurisdiction and admissibility, as well as the activities carried out by the OTP in 2019 in order to further this work.
In so doing, the Office aims to promote public awareness and transparency regarding its preliminary examination process and related activities.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands—11 December 2019 —The Government of Portugal has contributed €40,000 to a special Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund to support the project to upgrade the current OPCW Laboratory and Equipment Store. This project will result in the construction of a new facility, the OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”).
The Director-General expressed: “I thank the Government of Portugal for this major contribution to the new OPCW Centre for Chemistry and Technology that will further build the capabilities of our Member States to achieve a world free of chemical weapons.”
She further remarked: “Portugal trusts that the new ChemTech Centre will provide significant collective benefits, as it becomes a leader in research, analysis, training and capacity building. The Centre will also reinvigorate the Organisation’s ability to adapt to science and technology developments while giving a valuable thrust to its verification, detection and response activities as well as to enhancing international cooperation.” She also commented that Portugal highly appreciates the work of the OPCW and is honoured to be able to contribute to timely completion of this important project.
Director-General Arias appealed to all OPCW States Parties in a position to make voluntary contributions to do so. He further emphasised the important role the new ChemTech Centre will play in strengthening the OPCW’s ability to address chemical weapon threats, boost its investigative capability, and enhance capacity building activities. He highlighted that “all contributions, regardless of size, are greatly appreciated”.
So far, twenty-seven States Parties and the European Union have contributed or pledged to contribute financially to the project, and a considerable amount has been raised to date.
Two main fundraising events will be the highlights of the campaign. On Friday January 17 2020, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at the Italian Cultural Institute in Amsterdam, the Poorters van Venetië will host a buffet dinner and an evening seminar to discuss the current situation in Venice, possible solutions to the flood emergency and artistic projects carried out by the Poorters, with the participation of renowned Italian and Dutch speakers and an introduction by the Ambassador of Italy.
On Friday January 31 2020, from 7:00 PM, recorder player InĂŞs d’Avena and harpsichordist Claudio Ribeiro will present at the Keizersgrachtkerk in Amsterdam their latest album, “Anonimo Venexian”, featuring world-premiere recordings of their recent baroque discoveries from Venetian archives. Among these findings is a new sonata attributed to Antonio Vivaldi.Â
Registration to one or both the events is possible via the website www.redvenetie.nl.
Proceeds from the campaign will be managed by the Poorters van Venetië, a cultural ANBI, and support restorations carried out by Italian conservators.
Conclusions of the meeting of prosecutors on regional co-operation in war crimes proceedings, in Sarajevo 17-19 December 2019
The Hague,27 December 2019 – From 17 to 19 December, the Chief Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gordana Tadić, hosted a high-level meeting of the prosecutors from the region on co-operation in war crimes proceedings.
The participants included the State Attorney of Croatia, Dražen Jelenić, the Chief War Crimes Prosecutor of Serbia, Snežana Stanojković, Prosecutor Serge Brammertz of the United Nations International Residual Mechanism, representatives of the Supreme State Prosecutor’s Office of Montenegro, and of the Brčko District, district and cantonal prosecution offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This high-level conference, which follows the May 2019 conference in Belgrade, was convened and organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with support of the governments of the United Kingdom and Italy.
The discussion focused on regional cooperation between prosecutors in war crimes cases. At the conclusion of the meeting, the prosecution offices represented made the following joint statement reflecting their main conclusions and commitments.
The participating offices agreed that there is still a backlog of pending war crimes cases and that more effective regional cooperation is vital to achieving more justice for the victims. The participating offices reconfirmed their strong commitment to bringing to justice all perpetrators of war crimes without regard to nationality.
Reflecting on progress since the previous conference held in May 2019 in Belgrade, the participating offices committed to ensure that technical meetings are held prior to initiating the transfer of cases to resolve possible challenges and ensure that transferred cases can be successfully prosecuted by the office receiving the case. It was agreed that following the transfer of cases, there must be constant communication and mutual assistance throughout all phases of the proceedings between the prosecutors from the office that transfers the case and those from the office that receives it. The participating offices were informed of the beginning of the process of transfer of some cases from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Serbia and Croatia respectively.
With the purpose of ensuring that war crimes cases are successfully prosecuted after transfer from one country to another, the participating offices are making a joint appeal to all victims and witnesses to support the transfer of cases and agree to testify in trial proceedings conducted in the neighbouring countries where the cases are transferred. The participating offices further committed to encourage witnesses in the transferred cases and to provide them with all support within their competence. They also called upon relevant national authorities to ensure that witnesses are provided all necessary protective measures and support.
The participating offices also noted the challenges that have arisen in the transfer of cases to-date, and agreed to continue technical co-operation with the Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor as a means to analyze obstacles and problems and to resolve issues.
The participating offices also discussed other areas where improvements can be made in regional cooperation, particularly in coordinating investigations, or conducting joint investigations where legally possible. It was agreed that better cooperation between prosecutors prior to the issuance of indictments would increase effectiveness and efficiency, and the likelihood of successful prosecutions in the country that conducted the investigation or in the state where the case was transferred to. It was also concluded that there are no barriers to the participating offices working together in a coordinated manner from earlier stages in proceedings, including through joint investigative teams where legally possible, and to jointly identifying concrete cases suitable for joint efforts and co-ordination.
As hosts of the conference, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina noted that it has the largest number of pending war crimes cases in the region to process. It offered to exchange updated information on cases in which suspects or accused are not available with the other participating offices. In that regard, the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina invited all the prosecution office in the region to bilateral discussions to determine the most appropriate jurisdiction for prosecuting concrete cases.
With the reestablishing of the Government of the Republic of The Philippines Negotiating Panel (GRP) president Rodrigo Duterte is set on peace as he always has done, in the long lasting conflict with the NDFP/NPA. As a sign of goodwill Duterte ordered a nationwide ceasefire from 23 December until 7 January 2020. Shortly after the president also announced the ending of the martial law in Southern Philippines imposed in 2017 in response to a rebellion by Islamic State militants in the city of Marawi.
To put the ceasefire in effect Duterte also ordered the Department of National Defense, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police “to issue an official declaration” to all armed units and agents for them to observe the truce, according to presidential spokesman Salvador Panela.
In a joint statement signed in Utrecht (The Netherlands) by the GRP representatives Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Hernani Braganza, and National Democratic Front of The Philippines (NDFP) represented by Luis G. Jalandoni, senior adviser NDFP negotiating panel and Fidel V. Agacaoili, chairman NDFP negotiating panel, both parties mention that “the ceasefires are intended to generate a positive environment conducive to be holding of informal talks preparatory to the formal meeting to resume peace negotiations”.
However in a interview with ABS-CBN senior consultant of the NDFP Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, who lives in The Netherlands, came up with several preconditions before the peace process could even start.
President Duterte who remains highly popular among the Philippines people, invited Joma Sison to a man-to-man talk in Manila, giving his guaranty he will not be arrested. This while the NPA (the armed wing of the NDFP) reportedly staged two separate attacks in Camarines Sur and Iloilo just hours after the holiday truce took effect, resulting in the death of a soldier.
The president’s is set on everlasting peace by again offering negotiations after ending the peacetalks in march 2019 following its collapse.
A criminal organisation  smuggling  approximately 1 000 migrants from Pakistan and India into various EU-countries  was dismantled by the French and Italian  authorities in good cooperation, with the support of Eurojust and Europol.
One arrest was carried out in France and ten arrests in Italy, with two persons arrested on the basis of European Arrest Warrants. Eight premises were searched and ten phones and various documents were seized in Italy.
Eurojust held three coordination meetings to support the investigations in France and Italy and to arrange for the arrests. Eurojust financed and facilitated the setting up of a joint investigation team between the French Investigative Judge of the Specialised Jurisdiction of the Tribunal of Grand Instance of Lyon and the Prosecution Office of Torino.
The operation was concluded with the support of the OCRIEST and BMR 73 and 74 Services of the French National Border Police and the Polizia di Stato – Squadra Mobile of the Questura of Turin. Eurojust also helped to resolve outstanding jurisdictional issues. Europol provided additional support during the operation.
Authorities estimate that between 2018 and 2019, the organised criminal group earned a profit of EUR 1 million. In two places in Italy, safehouses were found, in which 34 irregular migrants from Pakistan were hiding. They have been brought to safety and a procedure for their identification has been started.
