Libya will be ICC’s priority in 2017

Fatou Bensouda, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has told the United Nations Security Council that her institution will make war-torn Libya its “top priority next year”.

The prosecutor said that widespread violence, lawlessness and impunity in Libya and its tragic consequences means her institution cannot be unmoved.

“The referral by definition carries great responsibility to seek justice for the countless civilians who have been victims of the widespread crimes in Libya since 15 February 2011,” she said.

The permanent instability Libya has suffered since 2011 has made investigations difficult to carry out. Bensouda stated that her office will be ready to issue arrest warrants against suspects.

“Timely execution of these new arrest warrants will be crucial, will require coordinated efforts by States, and may also require support from the council,” she explained, adding that she has decided to allocate additional resources from the ICC’s budget for tackling Libya.

“Without this council’s support, this allocation will necessarily come at the expense of investigations of other crimes in other situations,” Bensouda said.

Libya descended in lawlessness when Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was killed in a NATO-backed revolution in 2011. Uncontrolled factions have since fought for power with war breaking out between different alliances and Libya’s tribal factions. The UN-backed Government of National Accord chosen to implement law and order in the country has failed to ensure its legitimacy.