UN Security Council Makes First Referral to ICC in Darfur Case

On March 31, 2005, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations (UN), the UN Security adopted Resolution 1593 to refer the situation in Darfur since July 1, 2002 to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Res. 1593 took note of the report of the International Commission of Inquiry on violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law in Darfur. Res. 1539 recalled Art. 16 of the Rome Statute under which no investigation or prosecution may be started by the ICC for a period of 12 months after a Security Council request to that effect...[more]