Experts have stressed the need to immediately ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to end the trend of impunity in Nepal .

Speaking at an interaction organised by National Human Rights Commission and supported by CDNHRC/UNDP, in the capital on Friday, they urged the government to immediately ratify the statute to show the government’s commitment towards protection and promotion of human rights.

Former Justice of the Supreme Court, Laxman Prasad Aryal said that as Nepal has expressed its commitments for the protection and promotion of human rights by ratifying various international statutes in the past, it should not delay in ratifying the ‘ Rome statue’ to make all violators of the human rights accountable.

Aryal, who was also the coordinator of the interim constitution drafting committee said that though they had put a provision for ending impunity in the draft of the interim constitution, the eight political parties had deleted the provision later while promulgating the interim constitution.

He alleged that both the government and the Maoists are not willing to ratify the Rome Statute as both the parties were involved in rights violations in the past.

Also speaking at the same programme, Resident Representative of United Nations Development Programme, Matthew Kahane said that signing of Rome statute would be helpful for the protection and promotion of human rights.

He also lauded the role played by NHRC, the national rights watchdog even in the absence of commissioners.

President of Nepal Bar Association Bishwo Kant Mainali, rights activist Shova Gautam and Acting Secretary of the NHRC, Dhruba Nepal have urged the government to immediately ratify Rome statute.

On July 25, the reinstated House of Representatives had passed a resolution directing the government to ratify the ICC Rome Statute expressing firm commitment against all forms of crime against humanity.

International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based on a treaty, joined by 104 countries.

In all of its activities, the ICC observes the highest standards of fairness and due process. The jurisdiction and functioning of the ICC are overned by the Rome Statute and applicable to the countries, which have ratified the Rome Statute.