On the picture H. E. Dr. Alireza Jahangiri, Ambassador of Iran.By Roy Lie A Tjam.Hundreds honored the invitation by the Ambassador of the Islamic republic of Iran Dr. Alireza Jahangiri to join him at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Thursday 11 February 2016 to celebrate Iran’s Revolution Day. The event marked the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, described by the Ambassador as a glorious revolution, that ousted the Pahlavi dynasty which had ruled Iran (Persia) for decades. The evening commenced with a rendition of the national anthem of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, followed by that of the Islamic Republic of Iran. H.E. Ambassador Dr. Alireza Jahangiri subsequently took to the stage to address the assembled guests. For additional pictures on Iran 37 Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in The Hague, please click here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157662345734924His Excellency Sayyid Mohammed bin Harib bin Abdullah Al Said Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman and H. E. Dr. Alireza Jahangiri.Part of his speech is reproduced below.“At the presidential election in 2013, the people of Iran voted for Dr. Hassan Rouhani’s approach. The heart of this approach is to create a spirit of improving sustained cooperation with the international community, in order to eliminate past misunderstandings. Two years of tough negotiations and a marathon final session on the peaceful nuclear program between the Islamic Republic of Iran and P5+1 countries, resulted in signing and adopting the agreement in July and October 2015 as well as its implementation on January 16, 2016. It was the victory of using Iran’s traditional smart power with public diplomacy and soft power and adopting a win-win strategy. Achieving this significant agreement was based on pursuing Iran’s legitimate rights including safeguarding the achievements of peaceful nuclear technology. In addition, the approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the abolishment of the six United Nations Security Council sanction resolutions were not only a successful example of interaction and dialogue rather than using pressure and sanction, but also well demonstrated the miracle of diplomacy. Having recognized the flourishing capacity of Iran’s trade and economic prosperity as well as its constructive role as the trusted and influential major player in the region, the international community has been instrumental in taking a comprehensive approach to strengthening relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is worth mentioning that during last two years, more than one hundred high-ranking delegations from around the world, including Europe and in particular the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have traveled to Tehran.” ”I would like to point out that the historical relations between our two countries which goes back to almost four hundred years, has entered into a new phase after the official visit by H.E. Mr. Bert Koenders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs to my country in September 2015. Due to Iran’s huge oil and gas potential, the first offshore oil and gas forum was held in The Netherlands last October in which a hundred Iranian, Dutch and European representatives have taken part to identify common capacities and areas of future cooperation in order to promote all our reciprocal business interests. Meanwhile, H.E. Mr. Kamp, the Minister of Economic Affairs whom accompanied by a large economic delegation attended the third Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Tehran and also had discussions on economic and trade cooperation with high ranking Iranian officials last November. During the year 2015, bilateral academic, cultural and tourism relations expanded due to a large number of Dutch nationals visiting various historical and ancient sites. They also observed the political, economic and social progress in my country and experienced warm hospitality. ””Having congratulated the Dutch Government on taking the presidency of the European Union, I would like to take this opportunity to announce our readiness to cooperate on the issues of priorities for the rotating EU presidency in combating terrorism and violence, solving political unrest and armed conflict, maintaining global peace and security as well as providing access to reliable sources of energy. Since the current security situation jeopardizes future economic growth and is a high priority of concern to the international community, the Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that extremism, terrorism, Takfiri mentality and sectarianism are common challenges which threaten all of us, and require our collective response.” H.E. Mr. Jan Borkowski, Ambassador of Poland and Ambassador Jahangiri.Following the speech by H.E. Dr. Alireza Jahangiri Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, an Iranian buffet was served.Information: http://www.iranianembassy.nl/
Ruto and Sang case: ICC Appeals Chamber reverses Trial Chamber V(A)’s decision on admission of prior recorded testimony
Today, 12 February 2016, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided unanimously to reverse the decision of ICC Trial Chamber V(A) of 19 August 2015, which granted the Prosecutor’s request for admission of prior recorded testimony into evidence pursuant to amended rule 68 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence (RPE).
The Appeals Chamber in this appeal was composed of Judge Piotr Hofmański (Poland), Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi (Argentina), Judge Christine Van den Wyngaert (Belgium), Judge Howard Morrison (United Kingdom) and Judge Péter Kovács (Hungary). Judge Hofmański, who presided over this appeal, read a summary of the judgment in open court.
The Appeals Chamber considered that there was nothing in the drafting history of amended rule 68 of the RPE that revealed an error in the conclusion of the Trial Chamber that the amended rule may apply to this case, subject to a consideration of article 51 (4) of the Rome Statute providing that amendments to the RPE shall not be applied retroactively to the detriment of the accused.
It noted that rule 68 of the RPE was amended by the Assembly of States Parties on 27 November 2013. The Appeals Chamber found that the application of this rule was retroactive as the trial had started on 10 September 2013, before the amendment to the rule, and detrimental in the sense that the disadvantage, loss, damage or harm to the accused caused by its application negatively affected the overall position of Mr Sang and Mr Ruto in these proceedings. For these reasons, the Appeals Chamber decided to reverse the decision to the extent that prior recorded testimony had been admitted under amended rule 68 for the truth of its contents.
The trial of William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang opened on 10 September 2013 before Trial Chamber V(A). Mr Ruto and Mr Sang are accused of crimes against humanity (murder, deportation or forcible transfer of population and persecution) allegedly committed in the context of the 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya.
Judgment on the appeals of Mr William Samoei Ruto and Mr Joshua Arap Sang against the decision of Trial Chamber V(A) of 19 August 2015 entitled “Decision on Prosecution Request for Admission of Prior Recorded Testimony”
For more information on this case, click here.
On Friday 19 FebruaryPanorama Mesdag and Auction House Venduehuis The Hague, will organize another valuation afternoon in the famous Museum Panorama Mesdag at the Zeestraat in The Hague.
You are welcome between 12.00 – 16.00 hours to evaluate the following types of art and antiques: paintings, drawings and watercolours from the The Hague School, the Indies and Post-War art, Chinese porcelain, Asian Art, silver, gold and jewellery. If you want to, you can also directly submit your art and antiques for one of the auctions in the Spring of 2016.
We will evaluate the maximum of 5 items per person. With your entrance ticket to the museum you can see the permanent art collection and also the two temporary exhibitions: “Chansons Grises” -haute couture gowns by Peter George d’Angelino Tap and “The world of Mesdag in Stereophotography”.
Here you can enter a 3-D stroll through The Hague and Scheveningen in the time of H.W. Mesdag.
Entrance tickets: 5 euro p.p.
Holders of a Museum Card have free access.
Information: http://www.panorama-mesdag.nl/english/
Development Cooperation Minister, HELillian Ploumenhas praised the new humanitarian aid reforms proposed in ‘One Humanity: Shared Responsibility’, the report by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon which is being published today in New York. ‘His report offers solid stepping stones for us to forge ahead now towards greater cooperation and efficiency. We urgently need this in order to give adequate support to the millions of people who depend on humanitarian aid,’ the minister commented.
In recent years, Ms Ploumen has repeatedly called for a new and better form of cooperation between UN agencies, donor countries, NGOs and businesses involved in delivering emergency aid. Currently, 125 million people worldwide – the largest number since the Second World War – depend on this form of aid, largely because of wars and natural disasters. The UN has calculated that barely half of the necessary funding was available in 2015, due to a shortfall of USD 10 billion. ‘This means that vast numbers of people get no aid at all, or aid that is totally inadequate,’ the minister said. ‘A new approach is urgently needed – one that can help us get better results from every available euro. I enthusiastically welcome Ban Ki-moon’s powerful and ambitious message.’
In his report the Secretary-General proposes a set of reforms, such as investing in crisis prevention and ensuring that the various actors work less in isolation from one another. It is also recommended that donor countries impose fewer restrictions on UN organisations and that in turn, UN aid agencies provide these countries with more transparent information about their expenditure. In addition, mandates and funding should not automatically be given to large and often cumbersome international organisations, because local organisations often have a better understanding of what is needed.
Mr Ban’s report seeks to pave the way for new agreements at the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul in May. ‘I fully agree with what Ban Ki-moon says: I too feel that this really needs to be a turning point,’ Ms Ploumen said. ‘To this end, I am having intensive dialogue with my counterparts in Europe and the US, and also with new donors in the Gulf. Humanitarian aid needs to be improved, because we cannot abandon 125 million people to their fate.’ In the run-up to the WHS, the minister will be stepping up her contacts and efforts in order to achieve tangible improvements.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey, His Excellency Mr. Ahmet Davutoğlu today met the OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü at the OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.
The Director-General briefed the Prime Minister on the work of the Organisation in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention and the progress achieved in various programme areas. He also provided an update on OPCW’s work in Syria. They discussed the importance of strengthening the authority of the Convention as a key disarmament treaty.
Prime Minister Davutoğlu reiterated the value that his country attaches to the Chemical Weapons Convention and expressed his full support for OPCW’s mission. He praised the efforts of the OPCW with regard to the elimination of the chemical weapons capacity of Syria and stressed the importance of concluding all the remaining issues.
Lubanga case: Trial Chamber II orders Trust Fund for Victims to add information to the reparations plan.
Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) to add information to the reparations plan in regard to the case The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo on Febryary 9th. Presented to the Chamber on 3 November 2015, this plan sets out how to execute collective reparations for the victims of the case, as ordered by the Appeals Chamber.
Composed of Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (France), Judge Olga Herrera Carbuccia (Dominican Republic) and Judge Peter Kovacs (Hungary), the Chamber recalls that it is its responsibility to monitor and supervise the execution of a reparations plan for the victims of the case, once the plan has been approved.
The Judges, considering the TFV’s reparations plan incomplete, defer their approval and set a schedule for the TFV to submit the requested additional elements. In particular, the Chamber sets the deadline of 31 December 2016 for the TFV to file a submission including the list of potential victims, a first set of detailed collective reparations programmes, an assessment of the extent of harm done to victims, the anticipated amount of Mr Lubanga’s liability, and, if necessary, the revised monetary amount that the Fund intends to contribute in order to implement the plan.
Background:
On 7 August 2012, Trial Chamber I issued a decision on the principles and the process to be implemented for reparations to victims in the case. On 3 March 2015, the Appeals Chamber amended Trial Chamber I’s order for reparations and instructed the Trust Fund for Victims to present a draft implementation plan for collective reparations to the newly constituted Trial Chamber I within six months.
Mr Lubanga was sentenced on 10 July 2012 to 14 years of imprisonment by Trial Chamber I, after having been found guilty of the war crimes of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 years and using them to participate actively in hostilities. On 1 December 2014, the Appeals Chamber confirmed the conviction and sentence imposed. The time he has spent in the ICC’s custody will be deducted from the sentence imposed. On 19 December 2015, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was transferred to a prison facility in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) to serve his sentence of imprisonment.
For further information on the case, click here.
In February 2016, Her Excellency Ms. Haifa Aissami Madah was appointed Permanent Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), while also acting on the similar position to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international organizations in The Hague. Previously, H. E. Haifa Aissami Madah was her country’s top representative as Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Kingdom of the Netherlands presenting credentials to Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands on February 9th, 2011.
Before working in foreign affairs, H.E. Haifa Aissami Madah served in Judiciary of Venezuela for more than ten years. Particularly, she held position of National Prosecutor, specializing on the issues of human rights, drugs and family protection. Later, in 2010, H. E. Haifa Aissami Madah was appointed Judge of the Court of Appeals of the Metropolitan Area of Caracas in Criminal Law.
In addition to outstanding legal and diplomatic postings, H. E. Haifa Aissami Madah, in her earlier stages of career, acted as undergraduate teacher at the Bolivarian University of Professorships on Constitutional Protection, State and Resolution of Conflicts and Coercive Aspects of the norm. Likewise, she delivered numerous guest lectures at key national institutions including Supreme Court of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Justice National Prosecutor School.
Furthermore, H. E. Haifa Aissami Madah is a fluent speaker of three languages: Spanish, Arabic, and English.
On the picture French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Belgian Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders in the background Ambassador Arnould – Picture by French Embassy to Belgium.French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and his Belgian counterpart Didier Reynders came together for a working lunch in Brussels on February 3.
On the menu for the bilateral talks were the subjects of the EU-British relations, migration and the refugee influx to Europe, the Mediterranean partnership as well as the state of rule of law in Europe. Furthermore both foreign ministers would like to see even closer security and border control cooperation in the fight against terrorism as measures already outlined by the countries’ heads of government, the French Manuel Valls and its Belgian counterpart, Charles Michel, during their bilateral meeting held on 1 February at Brussels.
