Diplomatic sources: ‘The Netherlands is negotiating the dismantling of the International Criminal Court’

The Netherlands is negotiating with the US over the erosion of the powers of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This erosion is so drastic that, according to legal experts, it would amount to the dismantling of the Court. The Rights Forum has learnt this from diplomatic sources in New York, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The restrictions that would be under discussion include: a) granting immunity to heads of state; b) excluding the Court’s jurisdiction over nationals of non-state parties, even when they commit crimes on the territory of a state party; and c) denying the Court’s jurisdiction over cases covered by national legislation.