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> A Universal Court with Global Support > Ratification and Implementation > Universal Ratification Campaign > URC- Turkey and the Pacific Islands (Tonga, Tuvalu, Palau)
URC- Turkey and the Pacific Islands (Tonga, Tuvalu, Palau)
The Coalition for the International Criminal Court calls on Turkey and the Pacific Islands (Tonga, Tuvalu, Palau) to join the Rome Statute of the ICC as soon as possible.

TURKEY

42 states in Europe and Central Asia are parties to the Rome Statute. However, 12 others still remain outside the system (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Holy See, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Monaco, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan).

In 2004, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe indicating that Turkey would soon approve the Rome Statute. At the first Review Conference of the Rome Statute, held in Kampala, Uganda (31 May - 11 June 2010), the Head of the Turkish delegation reaffirmed Primer Minister Erdoğan’s commitment from 2004. However, since then, Turkey’s progress has remained at a standstill.

Turkey’s position as a key international player could significantly contribute to further strengthen the global voice at the Court and result in a more robust and meaningful participation in the global struggle to establish a truly fair, effective and independent ICC.

The Coalition calls on Turkey to speed up its accession process, as Turkey would further encourage the region’s commitment to the new system of international justice.

PACIFIC ISLANDS

The Coalition calls on the governments of Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu to hasten their efforts in acceding to the Rome Statute. This is particularly important, as the Asia-Pacific region is significantly under-represented within the whole Assembly, with only 17 ratifications over 40 Asia-Pacific states.

This urgent call for accession is merely a reminder of the Pacific States’ own recognition of the importance of being members of the ICC and undertaking to accede which have been documented in several occasions, e.g. International Criminal Court Pacific Outreach Roundtable, Universal Periodic Review sessions, among others.

Take Action Now!

Urge Turkey and the Pacific Islands to join the Rome Statute as soon as possible!

You might like to use the following letters for each country as a guide. Please be sure to “cc” all contacts below when sending your letters and also send a copy to us at [email protected].

Please note that any letter that you or anyone else outside the CICC Secretariat sends as part of this campaign should be written in an individual capacity or on behalf of your organization, not on behalf of the Coalition for the ICC. This policy should also be observed by members of national or regional coalitions of the CICC.

FOR TURKEY

Write a letter to H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey to encourage his government to accede to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Sample letter:

Your Excellency,

I am writing to urge you to ensure Turkey’s accession to the Rome Statute of the ICC as soon as possible.

Your Excellency, the International Criminal Court is an important mechanism for ensuring that the most serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law no longer go unpunished. The Court’s current investigations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Darfur (Sudan), Central African Republic, Kenya, Libya, Cote d’Ivoire, and Mali signify that it is moving forward in its crucial work to end impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Furthermore, its preliminary examinations in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Guinea, Honduras, Nigeria, and South Korea are a clear manifestation of the wide scope of the Court’s jurisdiction.

Today the Rome Statute counts 122 States Parties – nearly two thirds of the world’s nations – but a number of countries, including Turkey, remain outside the system and are thus unable to benefit from the protection and redress it offers.

Your Excellency, Turkey should join in the efforts to put an end to impunity for grave crimes, by adhering to the system of international justice created by the Rome Statute.

I therefore urge Your Excellency to take the necessary steps to ratify the Rome Statute without delay in keeping with Turkey’s affirmed support for human rights and the rule of law.

Sincerely,

Send your letter to:

H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN
Prime Minister

Office of the Prime Minister
Başbakanlık
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Telephone: +90 312 413 70 00
Fax: + 90 312 417 0476

Mr. Hasan DOĞAN
Chief of Cabinet of the Turkish Prime Ministry
Proxies Street Kızılay / Ankara, Turkey
Telephone: + 90 312 418 57 76/ + 90 312 415 40 00
Fax: + 90 312 422 18 99

H.E. Mr. Abdullah GÜL
President
Cumhurbaskanligi Cankaya Kosku,
06550 Cankaya ANKARA-TURKEY
Telephone: +90 312 470 11 00/ +90 312 470 23 08
Fax: +90 312 470 13 16/  +90 312 427 13 30

H.E. Dr. Ahmet DAVUTOĞLU
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Sadık Ahmet Cad. No: 8 Balgat 06100 ANKARA-TURKEY
Telephone: +90 312 292 10 00
Fax: +90 312 292 27 55
Email: [email protected]
Special Director : Ahmet TUTA
Telephone : +90 312 287 16 65 – 66/ 287 17 48
Fax : +90 312 287 88 11

H.E. Mr. Sadullah ERGIN
Minister of Justice
Adalet Bakanligi 06659 Kizilay ANKARA-TURKEY
Telephone:  +90 312 419 33 70
Fax: +90 312 419 33 70/  +90 312 417 71 13
Email: [email protected] ; [email protected]
Special Item Director : Yasin AYDOĞAN
Telephone : + 90 312 223 73 20  - 419 46 69 - 70
Fax : +90 312 417 71 13

H.E. Mr Uğur DOĞAN
Ambassador, Head of Mission, Turkish Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands
Jan Evertstraat 15
2514 BS The Hague
Netherlands
Telephone: (+31) 70-3604912
Fax: (+31) 70-3617969  
E-mail [email protected]

H.E. Mr. Ertuğrul APAKAN
Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN
Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations
821 United Nations Plaza, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10017 USA
Telephone:  + 1 212 949-0150
Fax: +1 212 949-0086
Email: [email protected]  

H.E. Mr. Oğuz DEMIRALP
Permanent Representative:
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland
Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28b
1211 Geneva 19
Telephone: +41 22 918 50 80
Fax: +41 22 734 08 59
E-mail: [email protected]

FOR PACIFIC ISLANDS

Write a letter to the Heads of State of Tuvalu, Tonga, and Palau to encourage their governments to accede to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Sample letter


Your Excellency,

I am writing to urge you to lead your Government to finally accede to the Rome Statute as soon as possible.

Universal acceptance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is needed for the ICC to effectively work towards a lasting peace through international justice mechanisms. That is why every country regardless of size should prioritize joining the other 122 States that have already ratified the Rome Statute. Also, there are only 8 state parties from the Pacific region out of the 22 in the Pacific, making the region under-represented.

The accession of your country will be a concrete expression of your commitment to respecting human rights, upholding international justice and rule of law and in joining the fight against impunity. You would have the opportunity to shape the course of international justice by participating in the negotiations and decision making of the Assembly of State Parties, wherein proposals amending the Rome Statute could be made. It is also the proper venue to nominate and elect your own citizen-candidates to key positions such as judges and prosecutors.

I therefore urge your Excellency to recognize the importance of acceding to the Rome Statute and take concrete measures to become a state party to the International Criminal Court.

Sincerely,


Send your letter to:

Palau:

H.E. Thomas Esang Remengesau, Jr., President of Palau
Office of the President
P.O. Box 6051, Palau, PW 96940
Fax: (680) 767-2424/1662

H.E. Jeffery Antol, Director of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs
Tel:  (680) 767-2408/2490, (680) 488-1189
Fax: (680) 767-3680, (680) 488-3681
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Johnny C. Gibbons, Minister of Justice
Tel: (680) 488-3198
Fax: (680) 488-4567
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Aunese Makoi Simati, Permanent Representative of Palau to the United Nations (New York)
Mailing Address: 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 575, New York, NY 10017
Tel: 1 (202) 555-1212
Fax: 1 (212) 813-0317
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Ambassador Hersey Kyota, Embassy of Palau
Mailing Address: 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20006
Tel: 202-452-6814
Fax: 202-452-6281
Email: [email protected]

H.E., Embassy of Palau in The Netherlands
Mailing Address: Kennemerstraatweg 51, 1851 BA Heiloo, Netherlands
Tel: (+31-72) 5320435
Fax: (+31-72) 5339539
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Tonga:

H.E. Tupou VI, King of Tonga
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1380, Nuku'alofa,
KINGDOM OF TONGA
Tel: +676 28 170
Fax: +676 24861
Email: [email protected]

H. E. Lord Tu’ivakanō, Prime Minister
Mailing Address: Head Office, Prime Ministers' Office, Taufa'ahau Road, Nuku'alofa
Postal Address: P.O Box 62, Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tel: (+676) 24644
Fax: (+676) 23888

H.E. Sonatane Taumoepeau-Tupou, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mailing Address: Head Office, Level 4, National Reserve Bank Building, Salote Road, Nuku'alofa
Postal Address: P.O Box 821, Nuku'alofa, TONGA.
Tel: (+676) 23600 
Fax: (+676) 23360

H.E. William Clive Edwards, Minister of Justice
Mailing Address: P.O Box 130, Nuku'alofa
Fax: (+676) 23 098
Email: [email protected][email protected]

H.E. Sonatane Taumoepeau-Tupou, Permanent Representative of Tonga to the United Nations (New York)
Mailing Address: 250 East 51 Street New York, NY 10022
Tel: 917 369 1025
Fax: 917 369 1024
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Sonatane Taumoepeau-Tupou, Embassy of Tonga
Mailing Address: 360 Post St, Suite 604, CA 94-108, San Francisco USA
Tel: +1-415 7810365
Fax: +1-415 7813964
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Sione Ngongo Kioa, Embassy of Tonga in The Netherlands
Mailing Address: 36, Molyneux Street, London, UK
Tel: (+44-20) 77245828
Fax: (+44-20) 77239074

Tuvalu:

Send your letter to:

H.E. Elizabeth II, Queen of Tuvalu Represented by Governor-General, Sir Iakoba Italeli
Private Mail Bag
Vaiaku, Funafuti
Telephone: (+688) 20101, (+688) 20100
Facsimile: (+688) 20820

H. E. Willy Telavi, Prime Minister
Tel: (+688) 20101, (+688) 20100
Fax: (+688) 20820
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Apisai Ielemia, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tel: +688 20102
Fax: +688 20820

H.E., Minister of Justice
Tel: (+688) 20823
Fax:  (+688) 20819
Email: [email protected]

H.E. Mr. Afelee Falema Pita, Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations (New York)
Mailing Address: 800 Second Ave, Suite 400B, New York, NY 10017
Tel: (+1 212) 490-0534
Fax: (+1 212) 937-0692
Email: [email protected] 
NGO Letters, Papers, Reports, and Statements
Author Date and Title
CICC
03 May 2013
Letter to Prime Minister of Turkey
CICC
May 2013
Letter to Prime Minister of Palau
CICC
May 2013
Letter to Prime Minister of Tuvalu
CICC
May 2013
Letter to Prime Minister of Tonga
NGO Media Statements
Author Date and Title
CICC
07 May 2013
Global Coalition Calls on Turkey to Join the Fight against Impunity
CICC
07 May 2013
Global Coalition Urges Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu to Join the International Criminal Court