PGA – act now on Iraq

20 August 2014

PGA – act now on Iraq

President of Parliamentarians for Global Action and New Zealand MP Ross Robertson is urging the international community to increase its humanitarian assistance in Iraq, and has called for the cessation of inhumane acts against the civilian population.

“Such atrocities cannot go unpunished, and Iraq should ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC),” said Ross Robertson.

“Attacks directed against civilian populations because of their ethnic or political background, religion or belief, may constitute a crime against humanity, and certain acts if committed with the intent to destroy, may constitute genocide.

“The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice,” he said.

“I call on the Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Haider al-Abadi, to pick up the phone and call the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Ms Fatou Bensouda, for immediate help to stop the sectarian violence and ethnic cleansing.

“We would encourage the European Union and other key players in the international community to promote these steps by Iraq. The ICC ratification by Iraq might have a deterrent effect on groups that have supported the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and help to curb the widespread and systematic attacks against civilians and the genocide based on religious belief and ethnicity,” said Ross Robertson.

ENDS

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