{"kind":"task","effective_mode":"full","benchmark":{"kind":"benchmark","effective_mode":"full","slug":"longbench-v2","formal_name":"LongBench v2","introduction":"LongBench v2 evaluates deep understanding and reasoning over long contexts through multiple-choice questions. Its official description lists 503 questions spanning tasks such as single-document and multi-document QA and code-repository understanding.","introduction_ja":"","introduction_en":"","category":"Category not supplied","task_count":null,"acquisition_status":"Acquisition status not supplied","official_url":"https://huggingface.co/datasets/zai-org/LongBench-v2","indexing_mode":"noindex","profile":{"resources":[],"task_format":"","scoring":"","metric":"","size":"","answer_access":"","license":"","citation":"","maintainer":"","released":"","why_hard":"","related":[]}},"task_id":"bedb6801-9bf3-5a45-94c6-af40014cf9fa","task_key":"train--66fb6d71bb02136c067c7c34","task_revision_id":"3","upstream_id":"66fb6d71bb02136c067c7c34","short_description":"What are the more serious issues facing the courts and their public officials…","config":"","split":"train","body":"{\"choice_A\":\"The workload of the case is too great to being busy.\",\"choice_B\":\"They are more susceptible to injury.\",\"choice_C\":\"It is difficult to carry out judicial tasks smoothly.\",\"choice_D\":\"Other countries do not cooperate.\",\"context\":\"United Nations \\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\nGeneral Assembly \\n \\nDistr.: General \\n21 August 2023 \\n \\nOriginal: English \\n \\n23-16116 (E)    050923     \\n*2316116* \\n \\n \\nSeventy-eighth session \\nItem 76 of the provisional agenda* \\nReport of the International Criminal Court \\n \\n \\n \\nReport of the International Criminal Court \\n \\n \\nNote by the Secretary-General \\n \\n \\n \\nThe annual report of the International Criminal Court on its activities for \\n2022/23 is submitted herewith to the General Assembly in accordance with article 6 \\nof the Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the International \\nCriminal Court and paragraph 31 of General Assembly resolution 77/6. \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n* A/78/150. \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n2/19 \\n \\nReport of the International Criminal Court on its activities \\nin 2022/23 \\n \\n \\n \\n Summary \\n \\nThe present annual report provides an update on the activities of the \\nInternational Criminal Court during one of its most active periods since its \\nestablishment. Drawing on new tools and approaches, the Court has sought to \\neffectively address the exceptionally high workload it faces across situations in the \\nform of investigations, pretrial proceedings, trials and appeals, as well as reparations \\nprogrammes for victims. \\n \\nAmong the notable developments during the reporting period was the \\nconfirmation by the Appeals Chamber of the conviction and 25-year sentence of \\nDominic Ongwen for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in northern \\nUganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. The case is now at the victims’ \\nreparation stage. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Mali, the presentation of evidence in the trial of \\nAl Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud concluded and the Trial \\nChamber is deliberating on the verdict. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Darfur, the trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-\\nRahman on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity continued. This is the \\nfirst trial to take place before the Court on the basis of a referral by the Security Council. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in the Central African Republic II, the trial of Alfred \\nYekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïsonna and the trial of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani \\ncontinued. In addition, the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of Maxime \\nJeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka is scheduled for 22 August 2023. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Ukraine, arrest warrants were issued for Vladimir \\nVladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova for the alleged war crimes \\nof unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied \\nareas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. \\n \\nThe Prosecutor resumed his investigations into the situations in Afghanistan, the \\nBolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Philippines, following judicial decisions on \\nthe admissibility challenges presented by the States concerned. With regard to the \\nsituation in Georgia and the situation in the Central African Republic II, the \\nProsecutor announced the conclusion of the investigation phase. During the reporting \\nperiod, the Office of the Prosecutor also continued its work with respect to the other \\nsituations that fall within its mandate. \\n \\nReparations to victims continued to feature prominently in the Court’s work, \\nwith the Trust Fund for Victims implementing reparation orders in four cases. The \\nTrust Fund is also implementing other programmes for the benefit of victims in \\nrespect of the situations in the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the \\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kenya, Mali and Uganda, directly \\nbenefiting close to 17,000 individuals. \\n \\nThe Court remains strongly committed to the principle of continuous \\nimprovement, including in the context of the review process initiated by the Assembly \\nof States Parties in 2019 to strengthen the Court and as reflected in the strategic plans \\nfor 2023–2025 of the Court, the Office of the Prosecutor, the Registry and the Trust \\nFund for Victims, and the Strategy on Gender Equality and Workplace Culture \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n3/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\nlaunched in December 2022, as well as other documents, such as the new Policy on \\nthe Crime of Gender Persecution of the Office of the Prosecutor. \\n \\nThe Court is grateful for the support of the United Nations across its activities. \\nIt continued to receive highly valuable cooperation from the United Nations on a wide \\nrange of issues, notably operational assistance in the field, on a cost-reimbursable \\nbasis. The cooperation, assistance and support of States remained equally essential to \\nthe Court’s operations, particularly at a time when a number of the Court’s elected \\nofficials are facing unacceptable threats for carrying out their mandate. \\n \\nCourt-issued public arrest warrants are outstanding against 16 individuals: \\n \\n(a) \\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo: Sylvestre Mudacumura, since 2012; a \\n \\n(b) \\nUganda: Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti, since 2005; \\n \\n(c) \\nCentral African Republic: Mahamah Nouradine Adam, since 2019; \\n \\n(d) \\nDarfur: Ahmad Harun, since 2007; Omar Al-Bashir, since 2009 and 2010; \\nAbdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein, since 2012; and Abdallah Banda, since 2014; \\n \\n(e) \\nKenya: Walter Barasa, since 2013; and Philip Kipkoech Bett, since 2015; \\n \\n(f) \\nLibya: Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, since 2011; \\n \\n(g) \\nGeorgia: Mikhail Mayramovich Mindzaev, Gamlet Guchmazov and David \\nGeorgiyevich Sanakoev, since 2022; \\n \\n(h) \\nUkraine: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-\\nBelova, since 2023. \\n \\nThe Court calls on States Parties and others to provide the necessary cooperation \\nand assistance for their arrest and surrender to the Court. \\n \\n \\n \\na The Office of the Prosecutor is in the process of verifying the reported death of Sylvestre \\nMudacumura (in 2019). \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n4/19 \\n \\nIntroduction \\n \\n \\n1. \\nThe present report, which covers the period from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023, \\nis submitted in accordance with article 6 of the Relationship Agreement between the \\nUnited Nations and the International Criminal Court (see A/58/874 and A/58/874/ \\nAdd.1).1 \\n \\n \\n \\nI. Update on judicial and prosecutorial activities  \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Situations and cases \\n \\n \\n2. \\nDuring the reporting period, the Chambers issued 534 written decisions, in \\naddition to oral and email decisions. Some 227 hearings were held. \\n3. \\nA combined total of over 15,000 victims participated in cases before the Court \\nduring the reporting period. The Court received more than 8,900 new victim \\napplication forms, including 1,083 in the Al Mahdi case (reparations), 1,320 in the \\nAbd-Al-Rahman case, over 2,000 for the situation in Ukraine and approximately 600 \\nin the cases related to the situation in the Central African Republic II. A total of 2,341 \\nrepresentation forms were received with regard to the situations in the Bolivarian \\nRepublic of Venezuela and the Philippines for processes initiated pursuant to \\narticle 18 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Court received \\nfollow-up information for a total of 1,300 existing applications. \\n \\n \\n1. \\nSituation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings and reparations \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo \\n \\n4. \\nTrial Chamber II remained seized of the implementation plans for symbolic \\ncollective reparations and collective service-based reparations and continued to \\nreceive progress reports from the Trust Fund for Victims pursuant to the Chamber ’s \\ndecisions of 21 October 2016, 6 April 2017 and 7 February 2019.  \\n5. \\nTo date, 2,462 child soldiers and their families and other indirect victims have \\nbeen deemed eligible for a reparations award; 872 beneficiaries are currently \\nbenefiting from service-based reparations in the form of medical treatment, \\npsychological rehabilitation and socioeconomic support.  \\n6. \\nAs part of the symbolic reparations award, the Trust Fund for Victims launched \\nthe construction of a building that will be used by community members for collective \\nactivities. To date, the Trust Fund has complemented around 75 per cent of the total \\nliability of Mr. Lubanga for reparations to victims, but there is a funding gap of about \\n$2.5 million.  \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga \\n \\n7. \\nTrial Chamber II remained seized of the implementation of its reparations order \\nissued on 24 March 2017, wherein individual and collective reparations were granted \\nto 297 victims of the attack on the village of Bogoro, Ituri Province. Individual \\nreparations have been fully implemented and the implementation of collective \\nreparations is almost complete. A ceremony to mark the end of the implementation of \\nthe reparations is planned by the Trust Fund for Victims. \\n \\n__________________ \\n \\n1  More information on the Court’s activities can be found on its website, www.icc-cpi.int. \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n5/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda  \\n \\n8. \\nTrial Chamber II remained seized of the implementation of the reparations order \\nissued on 8 March 2021. In light of its finding as to the joint liability in solidum of \\nMr. Ntaganda and co-perpetrators, the Chamber adopted, for the purposes of \\nreparations in the Ntaganda case, the reparation programmes ordered in the Lubanga \\ncase, in relation to the overlapping victims and harm in both cases. \\n9. \\nOn 12 September 2022, the Appeals Chamber delivered its judgment on the \\nappeals by Mr. Ntaganda and one of the legal representatives of victims against the \\nreparations order of Trial Chamber II of 8 March 2021, partially reversing the order \\nand remanding the matter to Trial Chamber II.  \\n10. On 14 July 2023, Trial Chamber II delivered an addendum to the reparations \\norder, which included, inter alia, the estimation of the approximate number of direct \\nand indirect victims of crimes against child soldiers (3,000), the estimation of the \\napproximate number of direct and indirect victims of the attacks (7,500), and an \\nassessment of Mr. Ntaganda’s liability for reparations of $31,300,000. The Chamber \\nwill next rule on the draft implementation plan of the Trust Fund for Victims for the \\nreparations awarded in this case. \\n11. In 2022 the Trust Fund for Victims began providing reparations to 29 former \\nchild soldiers and 45 victims of the attacks identified as priority victims. Following \\nTrial Chamber II’s issuance of the addendum to the reparations order, preparations \\nare under way for the Trust Fund to mobilize resources and prepare for the \\nimplementation of this large reparations programme. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n12. In June 2023, the Prosecutor visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, \\nmeeting with high-level officials, survivors, affected communities and civil society \\norganizations. He signed a memorandum of understanding with the President of the \\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo on 1 June 2023, which set a new framework for \\ncooperation and complementarity. Following this visit, the Office of the Prosecutor \\ndeepened its engagement with authorities in the country and other stakeholders to \\nencourage national proceedings to address serious crimes.  \\n13. On 18 May 2023, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo \\nsubmitted a second referral to the Prosecutor, relating to alleged crimes under the \\nRome Statute committed in North Kivu Province from 1 January 2022. The Office \\nwill conduct its preliminary examination and determine whether a new investigation \\nshould be opened. \\n \\n \\n2. \\nSituation in Uganda \\n \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen \\n \\n14. On 15 December 2022, the Appeals Chamber delivered two final judgments in \\nopen court, the first confirming Trial Chamber IX’s conviction decision of 4 February \\n2021 and the second confirming, by majority, Trial Chamber IX’s sentencing decision \\nof 6 May 2021, which imposed a sentence of 25 years of imprisonment on Mr. Ongwen. \\n15. On 16 December 2022, Trial Chamber IX issued a decision instructing the \\nRegistry to extract from the universe of 4,096 victims a random but representative \\nsample constituted of 205 victims, to proceed in a similar fashion as Trial Chamber II \\nhad in the Ntaganda case at the reparations stage. On 9 January 2023, the Registry \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n6/19 \\n \\nsubmitted the sample, which was subsequently approved by Trial Chamber IX as \\nsufficiently representative of the universe of potential victims.  \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti \\n \\n16. On 24 November 2022, the Prosecutor requested Pre-Trial Chamber II to hold a \\nhearing on the confirmation of charges against Mr. Kony (for whom a warrant of \\narrest was issued in 2005) in his absence, pursuant to article 61, paragraph 2 (b), of \\nthe Rome Statute. On 30 March 2023, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims and \\nthe Office of Public Counsel for the Defence submitted observations.  \\n17. On 1 December 2022, Pre-Trial Chamber II rejected the Prosecution’s request \\nto terminate the proceedings against Mr. Otti on account of his death, on grounds that \\nhis alleged killing had not been established. \\n \\n \\n3.  Situation in the Central African Republic I and situation in the Central African \\nRepublic II \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona \\n \\n18. The Prosecution’s presentation of evidence, which commenced on 15 March \\n2021, continued. To date, the Chamber has heard the testimony of 72 out of a total of \\nan anticipated 79 witnesses called by the Prosecution. On 29 May 2023, the Chamber \\ndirected the Defence to indicate by 25 August 2023 whether it intended to present \\nevidence. If the Defence responds in the affirmative, it is to call its first witness on \\n11 December 2023. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Mahamat Said Abdel Kani \\n \\n19. The Prosecution’s presentation of evidence commenced on 26 September 2022. \\nThe Prosecution is expected to call 58 witnesses to testify and was authorized to \\nintroduce into evidence the prior recorded testimony of 24 witnesses, pursuant to \\nrule 68, paragraph 2, of the Court’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence. As at the end \\nof the reporting period, the Prosecution had called 16 witnesses.  \\n20. Since February 2023 there have been no trial hearings owing to Mr. Said’s \\nmedical condition. Trial Chamber VI is monitoring the situation and will resume the \\ntrial whenever possible. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka \\n \\n21. Proceedings for the confirmation of the charges have been ongoing since \\nMr Mokom’s surrender on 14 March 2022. On 19 December 2022, the Appeals \\nChamber confirmed, by majority, Pre-Trial Chamber II’s decision to remove \\nMr. Mokom’s counsel of choice owing to an impediment to representation or a \\nconflict of interest.  \\n22. On 3 February 2023, following the appointment of permanent counsel for \\nMr. Mokom, Pre-Trial Chamber II postponed the commencement of the confirmation \\nof charges hearing, which was initially scheduled to commence on 31 January 2023, \\nto 22 August 2023.  \\n23. Between September 2022 and June 2023, the Chamber held two status \\nconferences and issued a large number of decisions on procedural matters, addressing \\nin particular victims’ representation and participation, disclosure and related issues. \\nOn 9 March 2023, the Prosecution submitted the document containing the charges.  \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n7/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\n24. On 8 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II rejected Mr. Mokom’s request for \\ninterim release, in the absence of a State willing to accept him and to implement any \\nconditions suitable to mitigate any risk of flight. On 19 April 2023, Pre-Trial \\nChamber II ordered the Registry to assist the Defence in identifying such a State. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n25. On 16 December 2022, the Prosecutor announced the conclusion of the \\ninvestigation phase in the situation in the Central African Republic II. The Office of \\nthe Prosecutor is not pursuing new lines of inquiry into the alleged criminal \\nresponsibility of other persons or in relation to other conduct in the situation beyond \\nthe cases before the Court. The Office continued to cooperate with the authorities of \\nthe Central African Republic, share information with the Special Criminal Court in \\nBangui and engage on matters of common interest aimed at closing the impunity gap. \\n \\n \\n4.  Situation in Darfur  \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”) \\n \\n26. The trial of Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman, which commenced on 5 April 2022, continued \\nin 2022. The Prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence, in which 56 \\nwitnesses were heard and written statements of an additional 25 witnesses and more \\nthan 1,200 items of evidence were submitted. On 19 April 2023, Trial Chamber I \\nrejected the Defence’s request for a motion of acquittal. From 5 to 7 June the victims’ \\nlegal representatives made their opening statements and called witnesses and victims, \\nwho appeared in court. On 7 July, the Chamber granted a second Defence request for \\npostponement of the commencement of its case, which is now scheduled to start on \\n16 October 2023. \\n27. On 28 June 2023, the Appeals Chamber, by majority, confirmed Trial Chamber I’s \\ndecision of 17 February 2023 recognizing the admission of a video of Mr. Abd-Al-\\nRahman into evidence. \\n28. On 17 July 2023, the Appeals Chamber, by majority, dismissed the Defence’s \\nrequest for reconsideration of the Appeals Chamber’s judgment of 1 November 2021 \\nconfirming Pre-Trial Chamber II’s decision of 17 May 2021 that rejected the \\nDefence’s jurisdictional challenge of 15 March 2021. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n29. In addition to its prosecution case in the trial of Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman, the Office \\nof the Prosecutor continued to advance investigations in relation to suspects at large, \\ndespite very limited cooperation from the Sudanese authorities. The outbreak of \\nfighting across the Sudan, including Darfur, continues to pose additional challenges \\nto the Office’s investigations. \\n30. On 26 January and 13 July 2023, pursuant to Security Council resolution 1593 \\n(2005), the Prosecutor briefed the Security Council on the situation in Darfur, \\ndetailing the progress in the case of Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman, addressing the armed \\nhostilities that have prevailed in the Sudan since April 2023 and outlining the \\nsignificant challenges his Office has encountered in receiving cooperation from the \\nGovernment of the Sudan. In his briefing in July 2023, the Prosecutor confirmed that \\nhe had commenced investigations in relation to incidents occurring in the context of \\nthe present hostilities, in accordance with the mandate of his Office pursuant to \\nresolution 1593 (2005). \\n \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n8/19 \\n \\n \\n5. \\nSituation in Kenya \\n \\n \\n \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Paul Gicheru \\n \\n31. On 14 October 2022, Trial Chamber III terminated the proceedings against \\nMr. Gicheru following the confirmation of his passing.  \\n \\n \\n6.  Situation in Libya \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n32. On 7 September 2022, Pre-Trial Chamber I terminated proceedings against \\nMr. Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled following the Prosecution’s submission of the \\nnotification of the death of Mr. Al-Tuhamy and request to withdraw the arrest warrant, \\ndated 2 August 2022, to which it annexed a copy of a death certificate issued by the \\nLibyan authorities. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n33. The Office of the Prosecutor continued to implement its investigative strategy \\nacross multiple lines based on its assessment of progress achieved in the investigation \\nas well as continued challenges. The Office undertook missions to Libya and other \\ncountries while strengthening cooperation and engagement with States, international \\norganizations and civil society organizations. On 7 September 2022, the Office \\nbecame a formal member of the joint team supporting investigations into crimes \\nagainst migrants and refugees in Libya. In October 2022, two key suspects were \\narrested and extradited to partner countries of the joint team as part of an operation \\nsupported by the Office. \\n34. On 9 November 2022 and 11 May 2023, pursuant to Security Council resolution \\n1970 (2011), the Prosecutor briefed the Council on the situation in Libya, detailing \\nthe progress made as a result of his Office’s renewed approach to the situation. The \\nProsecutor’s briefing of 9 November marked the first time he presented to the Council \\nfrom Libya. The briefing was conducted virtually while the Prosecutor was on an \\nofficial visit to various parts of the country with the aim of strengthening engagement \\nboth with Libyan authorities and victims’ groups. \\n \\n \\n7. \\nSituation in Côte d’Ivoire  \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n35. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its efforts to secure cooperation from \\nnational authorities and other stakeholders to assist in accelerating the ongoing \\ninvestigations into crimes allegedly committed between December 2010 and June \\n2011 in the context of post-electoral violence. \\n \\n \\n8.  Situation in Mali \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings and reparations \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi \\n \\n36. Trial Chamber VIII remained seized of the implementation of its reparations \\norder issued on 17 August 2017, wherein individual, collective and symbolic \\nreparations for the community of Timbuktu were granted.  \\n37. The Trust Fund for Victims provided individual awards in the form of \\ncompensation to 1,450 victims of the attacks against religious and historic buildings \\ncarried out in June and July 2012. In 2022, together with the United Nations \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n9/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\nEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Trust Fund launched the \\nimplementation of collective awards for the restoration of cultural heritage in \\nTimbuktu. The awards provide for commemorations that address the moral harm \\ncaused to the community and the building of a facility for socioeconomic activities to \\naddress the damage caused to the economy as a result of the destruction of its cultural \\nheritage. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud \\n \\n38. The Defence’s presentation of evidence concluded on 6 February 2023 and Trial \\nChamber X subsequently declared the submission of evidence closed. In total, the \\nChamber heard the in-court testimony of 76 witnesses and received the evidence of \\n31 witnesses, pursuant to rule 68, paragraph 2, of the Court’s Rules of Procedure and \\nEvidence. Closing statements were delivered from 23 to 25 May 2023. The Chamber \\nis deliberating on its judgment.  \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n39. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its activities related to this situation, \\nincluding those concerning the Al Hassan case, and monitored developments and \\nincidents on the ground, including reports of atrocity crimes. The Office has been \\nseeking to explore further options to reinforce the impact of its activities with respect \\nto the situation in Mali, including by developing synergies with the Malian national \\njustice system and other partners within the framework of complementarity. \\n \\n \\n9. \\nSituation in Georgia \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n40. On 16 December 2022, the Prosecutor announced the conclusion of the \\ninvestigation phase of the situation in Georgia. The Office of the Prosecutor will not \\npursue new lines of inquiry into the alleged criminal responsibility of other persons \\nor in relation to other conduct in the situation beyond the case pending before the \\nCourt. The Office focused its efforts on ensuring trial readiness in relation to the \\nexisting warrants and on preserving witness evidence, including in accordance with \\narticle 56 of the Rome Statute. The Office is also monitoring developments in the \\ncontext of suspect tracking. \\n \\n \\n10. \\nSituation in Burundi \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n41. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation, conducting missions to \\na number of countries. The investigation advanced steadily following the Office’s \\ncomprehensive analysis of the evidence collected since the start of the investigation \\nand benefited from the cooperation of States, United Nations entities and \\nnon-governmental organizations. \\n \\n \\n11. \\nSituation in Afghanistan \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n42. On 31 October 2022, Pre-Trial Chamber II authorized the Prosecution to resume \\nits investigation into the situation in Afghanistan, pursuant to article 18, paragraph 2, \\nof the Rome Statute. The Chamber found, inter alia, that the information presented \\ndid not show that Afghanistan had investigated or was investigating the alleged crimes \\nin a manner that would cover the full scope of the Prosecution’s intended investigation \\nand that would justify even a partial deferral.  \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n10/19 \\n \\n43. On 4 April 2023, the Appeals Chamber issued a judgment amending Pre-Trial \\nChamber II’s decision of 31 October 2022 in order to align it with the scope of the \\nProsecutor’s investigation in relation to alleged crimes committed on the territory of \\nAfghanistan in the period since 1 May 2003, as well as other alleged crimes that have \\na nexus to the armed conflict in Afghanistan and are sufficiently linked to the situation \\nand were committed on the territory of other States Parties in the period since 1 July \\n2002, as previously determined by the Appeals Chamber in its judgment of 5 March \\n2020. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n44. Following the authorization granted by the Pre-Trial Chamber in October 2022, \\nthe Office of the Prosecutor resumed investigative activities, with a focus on \\nidentifying and interviewing witnesses, collecting relevant documentary evidence, \\nidentifying and analysing representative incidents and further refining the case \\nhypotheses. The Office has further worked to galvanize cooperation from States, \\ninternational organizations and civil society organizations. \\n \\n \\n12. \\nSituation in Bangladesh/Myanmar \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n45. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation, conducting regular \\nmissions, collecting and analysing evidence and carrying out initiatives aimed at \\nstrengthening engagement and cooperation with partners in the region. The \\ninvestigation into this situation included the conduct of interviews with witnesses in \\nBangladesh, drawing on the almost permanent presence of investigators in the \\ncountry. The Office engaged with government ministries in Bangladesh, diplomats, \\nUnited Nations entities and non-governmental organizations to request assistance and \\ninform them of developments. The Prosecutor conducted an official visit to \\nBangladesh from 3 to 7 July 2023, meeting with civil society and survivors from the \\nRohingya community in Cox’s Bazar and with high-level officials in Dhaka. \\n \\n \\n13. \\nSituation in the State of Palestine \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n46. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation in line with its \\nindependent mandate and in a manner that ensured the preservation of the integrity \\nof the process and the safety and security of all of those involved. The investigation \\nencompasses conduct that might amount to crimes under the Rome Statute committed \\nsince 13 June 2014 in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The Office \\ncontinued to collect, preserve and analyse information, communications and evidence \\nfrom key stakeholders, including civil society organizations and various national and \\ninternational sources. \\n \\n \\n14. \\nSituation in the Philippines \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n47. On 26 January 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber I authorized the Prosecution to resume \\nits investigation, pursuant to article 18, paragraph 2 of the Rome Statute. The \\nChamber determined that the domestic initiatives and procedures relied on by the \\nPhilippines did not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps \\ncarried out with a view to conducting criminal proceedings, in a way that would \\nsufficiently mirror the Court’s investigation as authorized by the Chamber in its \\ndecision of 15 September 2021 under article 15 of the Rome Statute. \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n11/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\n48. On 21 March 2023, the Appeals Chamber issued a decision on the involvement \\nof victims in the appeal by the Philippines against Pre-Trial Chamber I’s decision of \\n26 January 2023, and on a request by the Office of Public Counsel for Victims. On \\n27 March 2023, the Appeals Chamber rejected the request of the Philippines for \\nsuspensive effect. \\n49. On 18 July 2023, the Appeals Chamber confirmed, by majority, Pre-Trial \\nChamber I’s decision of 26 January 2023. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n50. Following the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I of 26 January 2023, the Office \\nof the Prosecutor resumed its planning and investigative activities, while at the same \\ntime engaging in litigation before the Chamber following the appeal lodged by the \\nauthorities of the Philippines. \\n \\n \\n15. \\nSituation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela I \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n51. On 27 June 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber I authorized the Prosecution to resume its \\ninvestigation into the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela I, pursuant to \\narticle 18, paragraph 2, of the Rome Statute. The Chamber determined that, while the \\nState was taking some investigative steps, its criminal proceedings did not sufficiently \\nmirror the scope of the Prosecution’s intended investigation as they did not cover the \\nfactual allegations underlying the contextual elements of crimes against humanity, \\nand its domestic investigations appeared limited and generally focused on direct and \\nlow-level perpetrators and did not sufficiently address the forms of criminality the \\nProsecution intended to investigate. \\n52. On 12 July 2023, the Appeals Chamber, in the appeal of the Bolivarian Republic \\nof Venezuela against Pre-Trial Chamber I’s decision of 27 June 2023, extended the \\ndeadline for the filing of the appeal brief to 14 August 2023.  \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations  \\n \\n53. The Office of the Prosecutor continued to engage with the Venezuelan \\nauthorities within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed by the \\nOffice and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in November \\n2021 to promote cooperation and complementarity. In June 2023 the Prosecutor \\nconducted a third official visit to the country where he signed a second memorandum \\nof understanding establishing, among others, the legal and operational framework for \\nthe establishment of an in-country office for his Office.  \\n54. Following the 27 June 2023 ruling by Pre-Trial Chamber I, the Office of the \\nProsecutor resumed its planning and investigative activities while remaining \\ncommitted to the terms and spirit of the above-mentioned memorandums of \\nunderstanding. \\n \\n \\n16. \\nSituation in Ukraine \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n55. On 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II issued warrants of arrest against \\nVladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova for the alleged \\nwar crimes of unlawful deportation and the unlawful transfer of population (children) \\nfrom occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, under article 8, paragraph 2 \\n(a) (vii), and article 8, paragraph 2 (b) (viii), of the Rome Statute. The crimes were \\nallegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory from at least 24 February 2022. \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n12/19 \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations  \\n \\n56. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation during the reporting \\nperiod, engaging actively and maintaining a near constant presence on the ground in \\nUkraine and the region. The Office engaged in cooperation and coordination efforts \\nwith a variety of domestic and international stakeholders, including States parties, \\nnotably in the context of the joint investigation team established under the auspices \\nof the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, and international \\nand regional organizations. Following the issuance of the two arrest warrants by the \\nCourt, the Office continued to develop multiple, interconnected lines of investigation, \\nbuilding on the cooperation with the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General’s office and other \\ndomestic authorities. The Registry and the Office of the Prosecutor worked with \\nUkrainian authorities to establish a country office of the Court in Ukraine on the basis \\nof an agreement signed between the Court and Ukraine on 23 March 2023. \\n \\n \\n \\nB. Preliminary examinations \\n \\n \\n57. As at the end of the reporting period, the Office of the Prosecutor was seized of \\nthree preliminary examinations, in relation to the following situations: Nigeria, \\nVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) II and Democratic Republic of the Congo II. The \\npreliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria was completed and the Office \\nengaged with domestic authorities on the next immediate steps to be taken. The \\npreliminary examination of the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela II \\nwas at the advanced stage of analysis. In relation to the situation in the Democratic \\nRepublic of the Congo II, the Office will conduct a preliminary examination in order \\nto assess, as a preliminary matter, whether the scope of the situation is sufficiently \\nlinked to the scope of the existing situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo \\nto constitute a single situation. \\n58. The Office continued to review its policy on preliminary examinations and make \\nefforts to optimize its internal processes and enhance synergies between preliminary \\nexaminations and investigations, which are now fully integrated, in accordance with \\nthe Office’s organizational structure. \\n \\n \\n \\nC. Other situations \\n \\n \\n59. In June 2023 the Prosecutor conducted a second official visit to Colombia, to \\nreceive firsthand information on the authorities’ ongoing accountability efforts and to \\ncontinue efforts to ensure the effective implementation of the cooperation agreement \\nsigned by the Office of the Prosecutor and the Government of Colombia in November \\n2021. To this end, an action plan was signed between the Office of the Prosecutor and \\nthe Government of Colombia to facilitate enhanced implementation of the \\ncooperation agreement and of a complementary workplan with the Special \\nJurisdiction for Peace, which will facilitate, inter alia, the provision of support in the \\nnear term with respect to the investigation and prosecution of sexual and gender-based \\ncrimes.  \\n60. In relation to Guinea, the Prosecutor undertook a visit to Conakry at the end of \\nSeptember 2022, continuing the extensive and constructive engagement of his Office \\nwith the Guinean authorities. On the occasion of the visit and the opening of the \\ndomestic trial related to the events of 28 September 2009 in Conakry, the Prosecutor \\nand the President of the Transition signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at \\nfurthering the principle of complementarity and strengthening future cooperation in \\npursuit of justice. On that basis, the Prosecutor decided to close the preliminary \\nexamination in Guinea. During the reporting period, the Office of the Prosecutor \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n13/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\ncontinued to engage with the national authorities and relevant stakeholders in the \\ncontext of the implementation of the memorandum of understanding. \\n \\n \\n \\nII. International cooperation \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Cooperation with the United Nations \\n \\n \\n \\n1. \\nGeneral cooperation with United Nations Headquarters and entities present in \\nthe field  \\n \\n61. The Court continued to receive crucial cooperation and support from the United \\nNations and its senior leadership, in line with the 2004 Relationship Agreement.  \\n62. The Court principals valued the constructive bilateral meetings held throughout \\nthe reporting period with United Nations officials, including the Under-Secretary-\\nGeneral for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, the Under-Secretary-\\nGeneral for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Under-Secretary-General for \\nSafety and Security, the Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy \\nand Compliance, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and \\nseveral special advisers and special representatives of the Secretary-General. The \\nmeetings were aimed at reinforcing and clarifying existing parameters for cooperation \\nand initiating discussions on new domains of cooperation. \\n63. The Court recognizes the critical role of the Under-Secretary-General for Legal \\nAffairs as the interface between the Court and the United Nations, in particular for \\nthe transmission and coordination of judicial cooperation requests. The Court \\ncontinued to provide funding to the United Nations for a post in the Office of Legal \\nAffairs, at the P-3 level, to handle requests for assistance and cooperation from the \\nCourt while ensuring full respect for the independent mandates of the Court and the \\nUnited Nations. The Court also continued to reimburse the staffing costs associated \\nwith a post at the P-2 level in order to support the significantly increased workload \\narising from the Court’s requests. \\n64. The Court’s liaison office to the United Nations continued to promote and \\nfacilitate cooperation between the two organizations, represent the Court in various \\nmeetings, apprise the Court of relevant developments at the United Nations and \\nfacilitate and support meetings between officials of the two organizations. The liaison \\noffice also continued to act as a key contact point between the Court and permanent \\nmissions to the United Nations, especially of those countries without representation \\nin The Hague. \\n65. The Court continued to benefit from the cooperation of various United Nations \\nsystem entities, departments and offices, and special advisers and representatives of \\nthe Secretary-General, including those present in the field, in accordance with their \\nmandate and with the agreement of host States. The Court highly appreciates such \\ncooperation, which is essential to its operations. The Court’s offices in the Central \\nAfrican Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, \\nMali and Uganda played an important role by liaising with United Nations entities in \\nthis respect. This support will also be invaluable as the Court is currently undertaking \\nto open offices in a number of new countries. In this context, an important \\ndevelopment took place on 7 October 2022, when the Court and the United Nations \\nDevelopment Programme (UNDP) signed a framework agreement for the provision \\nof support services, which facilitates the provision of operational support from UNDP \\nto the Court, including UNDP country offices in geographical areas of relevance. \\n66. The Registry of the Court continued to receive, with appreciation, support from \\nthe United Nations for the deployment of Court personnel throughout the many \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n14/19 \\n \\ncountries in which it operates. In this context, 2023 saw continued requests for \\noperational support relating to situations in various geographical locations (namely, \\nBangladesh, Colombia, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic \\nof the Congo, Libya, Mali and the Sudan) and for support for several actors and \\nparticipants in the proceedings (Defence teams, Office of the Prosecutor, legal \\nrepresentatives of victims and staff of the Trust Fund for Victims). A total of 70 \\nmissions received support from the United Nations. The Court is looking into \\nalternative ways to support its operations in Mali in light of the termination of the \\nmandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in \\nMali. \\n67. The Court continued to cooperate with United Nations common system \\norganizations by participating in inter-agency meetings on facilities management, \\ntravel and security. The country offices and the Court’s liaison office at the United \\nNations in New York also benefited from coordination in administrative and \\nmanagement areas across the United Nations system. As a participant in the United \\nNations security management system, the Court relied on the United Nations for \\nservices such as transportation, radio and video communication, medical assistance, \\nsecurity briefings, and security training on a reimbursable basis. The Court also \\ncontinued engaging with the High-Level Committee on Management. \\n68. Since 2019, the Court has been a participating organization in the \\nInter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff \\namong the Organizations Applying the United Nations Common System of Salaries \\nand Allowances. During the reporting period, four of the Court’s staff members were \\non loan and five were on secondment to other international organizations, and six \\ntransferred to other organizations under the Agreement. One United Nations staff \\nmember is currently on loan and another is on secondment to the Court. The Court \\nalso received six staff members on transfer from other international organizations.  \\n69. The Senior Legal Adviser of the Registry and the Director of the Secretariat of \\nthe Assembly of States Parties attended a meeting of the United Nations Legal \\nAdvisers Network in Rome from 15 to 17 May 2023. \\n \\n \\n2. \\nMainstreaming the International Criminal Court in the United Nations system \\n \\n70. The Court greatly appreciates the support for its activities expressed in \\nresolutions, declarations and other documents adopted by the General Assembly, the \\nSecurity Council and other United Nations organs, committees and commissions. The \\nCourt also values opportunities for its senior officials to participate in United Nations \\nmeetings on themes and situations of relevance to its mandate.  \\n71. National jurisdictions have the primary responsibility to investigate and \\nprosecute crimes under the Rome Statute. With that in mind, the Court encourages \\nthe inclusion of capacity-building elements in legal and judicial reform programmes \\nsupported by the United Nations as part of its rule of law development assistance, \\nsuch as by incorporating into national law the crimes and principles of the Rome \\nStatute, establishing or enhancing national processes for cooperation with the Court \\nand training legal professionals on the investigation and prosecution of international \\ncrimes, in particular as part of the mandate to support justice and corrections \\ninstitutions in post-conflict settings. The Court is open to collaboration with the \\nUnited Nations in this context. By way of example, its country office in the Central \\nAfrican Republic has engaged with the United Nations to promote justice as a key \\nfoundation to lasting peace, with the support of the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding \\nFund.  \\n72. The Court supported the organization of the event held by the Assembly of \\nStates Parties on 17 July 2023 at United Nations Headquarters in New York to \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n15/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\ncommemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Rome Statute and coordinated with \\nthe United Nations social media focal points to amplify related content, including a \\nspecial video and other content related to the #MoreJustWorld digital campaign. At \\nthe Court’s request, United Nations entities publicized the exhibition “Common \\nbonds: From the Rome Conference to today”, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary \\nof the Rome Statute, by posting photographs and publicity on their global platforms. \\nIn the second half of 2022, the Court coordinated with the United Nations to continue \\npublicizing stories of survivors of serious crimes profiled in its “Life After Conflict” \\nphoto exhibit, which was on display at United Nations Headquarters in July 2022. As \\nin previous years, the Court marked United Nations international observance days \\nwith statements and social media posts and shared this content, as well as additional \\ncontent related to Sustainable Development Goal 16 on peace and justice, with the \\nUnited Nations social media focal points for amplification. These focal points also \\noffered the Court advice on communications challenges and opportunities as they \\nunfolded. The Court is grateful to the United Nations for its communications support.  \\n \\n \\n3. \\nCooperation with the Security Council \\n \\n73. The Court and the Security Council have different yet complementary roles in \\naddressing the gravest crimes of concern to the international community, which have \\nthe potential to destabilize international peace and security. The Council’s prerogative \\nto refer a situation to the Court can help promote accountability in situations where \\ngrave crimes may have been committed but where the Court lacks jurisdiction. This \\nis demonstrated in concrete terms by the trial of Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman, which \\ncontinued during the reporting period and represents the first trial to take place at the \\nCourt based on a referral by the Council. \\n74. Where the Council has made a referral, active follow-up is necessary to ensure \\ncooperation, especially for the arrest and surrender of individuals for whom the Court \\nhas issued arrest warrants. Following the Darfur and Libya referrals, the Court has \\ncommunicated to the Council a total of 16 findings of non-cooperation in respect of \\na State. The Council has not responded to these communications in substantive form.  \\n75. As noted above, the Prosecutor’s biannual briefings to the Security Council on \\nthe situations in Darfur and Libya provided opportunities to inform the Council and \\nthe United Nations membership of progress and challenges related to his Office’s \\ninvestigations and of the importance of cooperation, including with regard to the \\noutstanding arrest warrants. In addition, in September 2022, the Prosecutor briefed \\nthe Council in relation to developments in the situation in Ukraine. \\n76. The Court believes that, building on past exchanges, the dialogue between the \\nCourt and the Security Council on matters of mutual interest, both thematic and \\nsituation-specific, can be enhanced further, with a view to strengthening synergies \\nbetween the mandates of both entities. \\n77. The Court is grateful for the support of the Security Council, which the States \\nparties to the Rome Statute serving on the Council play a key role in securing. The \\nOffice of the Prosecutor has benefited from formal and informal exchanges and from \\nthe strong support expressed, in part, at media stakeouts held after the Prosecutor ’s \\nbriefings by the Court’s focal points in the Council on behalf of those Council \\nmembers that are also States parties. The Registrar also received such support during \\nhis mission to New York in June 2023.  \\n78. On 18 July 2023, the President of the Assembly of States Parties and the \\nExecutive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims briefed the Security Council during \\nan Arria formula meeting entitled “25th Anniversary of the Rome Statute: The \\nContribution of the International Criminal Court to the Maintenance of International \\nPeace and Security”. \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n16/19 \\n \\n \\nB. Cooperation with and assistance from States, other international \\norganizations and civil society \\n \\n \\n79. States continued to provide highly valuable assistance in relation to \\ninvestigations and prosecutions including with respect to arrests, identification and \\nrecovery of assets, provision of documents and facilitation of missions of the Court \\non their territory.  \\n80. During the reporting period, the Registry transmitted 536 requests for visas to \\nStates and 300 primary requests for cooperation to States parties, other States and \\ninternational and regional organizations, in addition to following up on pending \\nrequests apart from operational support requests sent by country offices.  \\n81. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its efforts to enhance cooperation with \\npartners, including by increasingly incorporating the use of technology and \\nintelligence-led actions. The Office transmitted 458 requests for assistance (including \\n125 notifications for mission) to States Parties, States not parties, international and \\nregional organizations and other public or private entities, and followed up on the \\nexecution of pending requests. The Office also received 22 incoming requests for \\ncooperation under article 93, paragraph 10, of the Rome Statute. \\n82. In addition to transmitting its own requests and requests on behalf of Chambers, \\nthe Registry requested the assistance of States to support the investigative activities \\nof Defence teams, including by giving them access to documents or potential \\nwitnesses, and to facilitate visits of detainees’ families to the Court’s detention centre \\nby issuing visas. States were also requested to provide assistance for reparations \\nproceedings, including by identifying the whereabouts of victims and by supporting \\nthe activities of the Trust Fund for Victims. All these forms of assistance are \\nappreciated as contributing to the efficiency and fairness of the Court’s proceedings. \\n83. As demonstrated by the list of outstanding arrest warrants in the summary of the \\npresent report, the arrest and surrender of individuals subject to the Court’s warrants \\nremains a critical challenge. The Court reiterates the importance it attaches to the \\nSecretary-General’s guidance on contacts with persons who are the subject of arrest \\nwarrants or summonses issued by the Court (A/67/828-S/2013/210).  \\n84. The Court continued to encourage States to conclude cooperation agreements \\nwith it regarding the relocation of witness under threat, the enforcement of sentences, \\nand the interim and final release of suspects or accused. One new agreement was \\nconcluded with Belgium on the release of persons on 7 July 2023.  \\n85. The Registry and the Office of the Prosecutor continued efforts to further \\nenhance cooperation with national, regional and international judicial and law \\nenforcement networks in support of the Court’s needs, and to assist national \\nproceedings, where appropriate, in accordance with the principle of complementarity. \\n86. These efforts have produced tangible results, notably the strengthening of \\nrelations between the Office of the Prosecutor and the African Union following the \\nProsecutor’s participation in the thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth African Union summits \\nin Addis Ababa. The attendance of the Prosecutor at the ninth summit of the \\nAssociation of Caribbean States, held in May 2023 in Antigua, Guatemala, also served \\nto enhance cooperation with States in the region. \\n87. The Registry and the Office of the Prosecutor also continued to work closely \\ntogether within the inter-organ working group on arrest strategies to devise and \\nimplement strategies to facilitate the arrest of suspects, as well as to develop a \\nnetwork of partners to foster information exchange and cooperation in the \\nidentification, freezing and seizure of assets.  \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n17/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\n88. On 23 June 2023 the Registry organized a hybrid meeting with States from the \\nGroup of Latin American and Caribbean States on framework cooperation \\nagreements, with the participation of representatives of embassies and experts from \\ncapitals. Lastly, the Registry continued its efforts to obtain sufficient funds for the \\ntrust fund it relies on to ensure family visits for indigent detainees. The Court \\norganized six family visits, in which a total of 18 persons participated (10 adults and \\n8 children). Six States made generous donations to the trust fund during the reporting \\nperiod.  \\n89. With the financial support of the European Commission and other donors, the \\nCourt organized over 15 seminars and events in support of efforts to strengthen \\ncooperation, complementarity and universality, including a second high-level virtual \\nseminar for judges in the Asia-Pacific region, a training on witness protection for \\nvictims of conflict related sexual violence in Ukraine, a seminar for national \\ncooperation for focal points from the ministries of justice of countries with situations \\nsubject to the jurisdiction of the Court and the fifth Asia-Pacific Forum of the Hague.  \\n90. The Court continued to develop its interaction and cooperation with \\ninternational and regional organizations as key partners for promoting universal \\nratification and full national implementation of the Rome Statute, raising awareness \\nof the Court’s work, enhancing cooperation and promoting wider geographical \\nrepresentation within the Court’s staff.  \\n91. The Court greatly values the activities that civil society partners undertake to \\nraise awareness of the Court and promote the universal ratification and full \\nimplementation of the Rome Statute, and it continued to participate in those activities. \\nFrom 19 to 23 June 2023, the Court held, in hybrid format, an annual round table with \\nnon-governmental organizations. In addition, the Office of the Prosecutor organized \\ntwo thematic round tables on crimes against and affecting children and gender \\npersecution with civil society organizations from countries with situations subject to \\nthe jurisdiction of the Court. The round tables included discussions of the newly \\nlaunched policy of the Office of the Prosecutor on the crime of gender persecution, \\nwhich strengthens the basis on which the Office can advance the fight against \\nimpunity for sexual and gender-based crimes. \\n \\n \\n \\nIII. Institutional developments \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Treaty matters \\n \\n \\n92. Two States accepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 of the Rome Statute \\nadopted in 2010, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted or \\nratified the amendment to 45. Two States accepted or ratified the amendment on the \\ncrime of aggression, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted or \\nratified the amendment to 45. One State accepted or ratified the amendment to article \\n124, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted or ratified the \\namendment to 19. Three States accepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 \\nregarding the use of weapons that use biological agents or toxins, bringing the total \\nnumber of States parties having accepted or ratified the amendment to 15. Three \\nStates accepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 regarding the use of weapons \\ndesigned to injure by fragments undetectable by X-rays, bringing the total number of \\nStates parties having accepted or ratified the amendment to 13. Three States accepted \\nor ratified the amendment to article 8 regarding the use of blinding laser weapons, \\nbringing the total number of States parties having accepted or ratified the amendment \\nto 13. Four States accepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 on intentionally \\n\\n\\nA/78/322 \\n \\n \\n23-16116 \\n18/19 \\n \\nusing the starvation of civilians, bringing the total number of States parties having \\naccepted or ratified the amendment to 12. \\n93. The Court continued efforts to attract all States not among the 123 parties to the \\nRome Statute to join the treaty as soon as possible. \\n \\n \\n \\nB. Elections \\n \\n \\n94. On 10 February 2023, the judges of the Court elected by secret ballot Osvaldo \\nZavala Giler as Registrar for a period of five years by an absolute majority. Mr. Zavala \\nGiler, a national of Ecuador, commenced his term on 17 April 2023, succeeding Peter \\nLewis.  \\n \\n \\n \\nC. Trust Fund for Victims \\n \\n \\n95. As detailed in section II above, the Trust Fund for Victims continued \\nimplementing Court-ordered reparations in four cases, and it participated in the \\nreparations proceedings in the Ongwen case.  \\n96. The Trust Fund also implemented other programmes to benefit victims through \\nthe provision of medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, socioeconomic \\nsupport, education and peace-building activities. Those programmes were \\nimplemented for the benefit of victims in the situations in the Central African \\nRepublic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kenya, \\nMali and Uganda, all under the jurisdiction of the Court. The programmes in Georgia \\nand Kenya were launched at the beginning of 2023. Close to 17,000 individuals \\ndirectly benefited from reparations programmes in 2022. The Trust Fund worked with \\nlocally based international organizations and local organizations to implement \\nreparations activities.  \\n97. In its resolution 77/6 of 2 November 2022 the General Assembly encouraged \\nStates to contribute to the Trust Fund for Victims. In 2022, the Trust Fund received \\nover €3.8 million in voluntary contributions from 32 States parties, which enabled it \\nto continue its activities in 2023. The Trust Fund calls upon the General Assembly to \\ncontinue to call on States, individuals and entities to make voluntary contributions for \\nthe benefit of victims and their families. \\n98. In line with the 2020 report of the Independent Expert Review, the Trust Fund’s \\nBoard of Directors initiated a series of reforms to strengthen the fundraising capacity, \\nvisibility and effective management of the secretariat of the Trust Fund for Victims, \\nwhich has been led by a new Executive Director since 1 May 2023, following a \\ncompetitive recruitment process.  \\n \\n \\n \\nD. Launch of strategic plans for 2023–2025  \\n \\n \\n99. On 14 June 2023, the strategic plans for 2023–2025 of the Court, the Office of \\nthe Prosecutor, the Registry and the Trust Fund for Victims were launched, marking \\nthe first time all four strategic plans have been developed and adopted concurrently, \\nfollowing the same three-year cycle. This underscores the Court’s commitment to the \\n“one Court principle” and strengthens the Court’s relationship with the Trust Fund for \\nVictims by promoting greater synergies while upholding the independence of the \\norgans involved in judicial proceedings. During the process of elaborating the \\nstrategic plans, the Court benefited from the input provided by its staff as well as by \\nStates parties and civil society organizations.  \\n\\n\\n \\nA/78/322 \\n \\n19/19 \\n23-16116 \\n \\n100. Building on the achievements made during the previous strategic cycle and \\ntaking into account the recommendations of the Independent Expert Review, the four \\nstrategic plans aim to drive further progress in the 2023–2025 period. The \\nintroduction of key performance indicators and a strategic framework will enable the \\nCourt to better demonstrate how the performance of each organ and the Trust Fund \\nfor Victims contributes to shared, overarching goals. The Court’s strategic plan \\nreaffirms its pledge to act with integrity and acknowledges the crucial role of the \\nCourt’s staff in the achievement of its mission. In December 2022, the Court also \\nlaunched a comprehensive Court-wide Strategy on Gender Equality and Workplace \\nCulture, the first of its kind adopted by an international court or tribunal. \\n101. Through the development of the strategic plans, the Court identified key \\nadditional resources required to meet core strategic objectives, as reflected in the \\nproposed programme budget for 2024 recently transmitted by the Court to the \\nAssembly of States Parties. \\n \\n \\n \\nIV. Conclusion \\n \\n \\n102. The reporting period marked a particularly active year for the International \\nCriminal Court, including significant activities in pretrial, trial and appeals \\nproceedings and in the implementation of reparations, as well as the investigations \\nand preliminary examinations conducted by the Office of the Prosecutor with respect \\nto situations on four continents. Among the notable developments were the \\nconfirmation of a conviction and sentence on appeal; the conclusion of the \\npresentation of evidence in one trial and the progress of three other trials in the \\ncourtrooms; the issuance of two new arrest warrants; and the conclusion of one \\npreliminary examination. The Trust Fund for Victims implemented court-ordered \\nreparations to victims in four cases and conducted other projects in several countries, \\nbenefiting close to 17,000 victims.  \\n103. The Court recognizes with gratitude the many forms of important assistance \\nprovided by the United Nations system during the reporting period and is equally \\nappreciative of the cooperation of States with its ongoing investigative, prosecutorial \\nand judicial activities. Furthermore, the Court highly appreciates the numerous vocal \\nstatements of support expressed by States and other international actors in high-level \\nforums, such as the General Assembly and the Security Council. Such support is \\nparticularly important at a time when officials of the Court have come under attack \\nfor carrying out their mandates. The Court looks forward to further strengthening its \\nrelations with all stakeholders as it seeks to enhance the delivery of justice under its \\nmandate set out in the Rome Statute.  \\n \\n\\n\\n \\nUnited Nations \\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\nGeneral Assembly \\n \\nDistr.: General \\n19 August 2024 \\n \\nOriginal: English \\n \\n24-14914 (E)    050924 \\n*2414914* \\n \\n \\nSeventy-ninth session \\nItem 74 of the provisional agenda* \\nReport of the International Criminal Court \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n Report of the International Criminal Court \\n \\n \\n \\n Note by the Secretary-General \\n \\n \\n \\nThe annual report of the International Criminal Court on its activities for \\n2023/24 is submitted herewith to the General Assembly in accordance with article 6 \\nof the Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the International \\nCriminal Court and paragraph 31 of General Assembly resolution 78/6. \\n \\n \\n \\n \\n* A/79/150. \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n2/19 \\n \\n \\n Report of the International Criminal Court on its activities \\nin 2023/24 \\n \\n \\n \\n Summary \\n \\nDuring the reporting period, the International Criminal Court made significant \\ncontributions to the global fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of \\nconcern to the international community as a whole. Drawing on new tools and \\napproaches, the Court is addressing the unprecedented demand for its work in the \\nform of investigations, pretrial proceedings, trials and appeals, as well as reparation \\nprogrammes for victims, carrying out extensive activities in highly challenging \\noperational environments and fragile security situations in ongoing conflict zones. \\n \\nAmong the notable developments during the reporting period, Trial Chamber X \\nconvicted Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud of crimes against \\nhumanity and of war crimes committed between 2 April 2012 and 29 January 2013 in \\nTimbuktu, northern Mali. Sentencing proceedings are under way, and the verdict is \\nsubject to appeal. Reparation proceedings are soon to commence. Three other trials \\ncontinued in the courtrooms: the trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman with \\nregard to the situation in Darfur and the trial of Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard \\nNgaïssonna and the trial of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani with regard to the situation in \\nthe Central African Republic. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Uganda, Trial Chamber IX issued a reparations \\norder in the case of Dominic Ongwen, who previously had been found guilty for \\ncrimes against humanity and war crimes committed in northern Uganda between 2002 \\nand 2005. The Chamber set Mr. Ongwen’s financial liability to €52,429,000, the \\nhighest amount of reparations to victims ordered in any case before the Court thus \\nfar. Mr. Ongwen has appealed the reparations order. The Registry will now proceed \\nwith identifying the victim population that is potentially eligible for reparations. \\n \\nThe Court reached a historic milestone as the Trust Fund for Victims finalized \\nthe implementation of reparations in the Katanga case with a closing ceremony held \\nin Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Trust Fund is also implementing \\nother reparation orders and other programmes to benefit victims through the provision \\nof medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, socioeconomic support, education \\nand peacebuilding activities, directly benefiting around 24,000 individuals in 2023. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Ukraine, four new arrest warrants were issued \\nagainst the following individuals: Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, Minister of Defence \\nof the Russian Federation; Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff \\nof the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Minister of Defence; \\nSergei Ivanovich Kobylash, Lieutenant General in the Russian Armed Forces and \\nCommander of long-range aviation of the Aerospace Force; and Viktor Nikolayevich \\nSokolov, admiral in the Russian Navy and Commander of the Black Sea fleet \\n(functions held at the time of the alleged conduct). \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Mali, the arrest warrant issued in 2017 for Iyad \\nAg Ghaly, alleged leader of Ansar Eddine, was unsealed. \\n \\nWith regard to the situation in Uganda and the situation in Kenya, the Office of \\nthe Prosecutor announced the conclusion of the investigation phase. During the \\nreporting period, the Office of the Prosecutor also continued its work with respect to \\nthe other situations that fall within its mandate. Pressure on its investigative function \\nhas greatly increased in the light of the significant range of allegations of crimes under \\nthe Rome Statute stemming from ongoing active conflicts, including in relation to the \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n3/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\nsituations in Darfur, the State of Palestine and Ukraine. To address increased \\nrequirements for its investigative activities, the Office is drawing on a new evidence-\\nprocessing system that was finalized during the reporting period; an increase in field \\npresence, including through an increase in staffing in Ukraine and the establishment \\nof an office in Caracas; and a revitalization of its policy framework, as reflected in \\nthe adoption, in December 2023, of new policies on children and on gender-based \\ncrimes. \\n \\nThe contents of the present report do not reflect confidential activity before the \\nCourt’s pretrial chambers, which has increased in terms of both workload and output. \\n \\nOn 11 March 2024, six new judges of the Court commenced their nine-year \\nterms, and Tomoko Akane was elected President of the Court for the period 2024–\\n2027.  \\n \\nSecurity issues continued to gain prominence among the priorities of senior \\nleadership of the Court owing to, inter alia, a serious cyberattack against the Court \\nduring the reporting period and other threats and attacks to which the Court and its \\nofficials have been subjected on account of their efforts to carry out their mandate, \\nincluding arrest warrants issued by the Russian Federation against several judges and \\nthe Prosecutor. \\n \\nThe Court is grateful for the highly valuable cooperation that it continued to \\nreceive from the United Nations on a wide range of issues, notably including \\noperational assistance in the field on a cost-reimbursable basis. The cooperation, \\nassistance and support of States remained essential to the Court’s operations. \\n \\nCourt-issued public arrest warrants are outstanding against 20 individuals: \\n \\n(a) \\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo: Sylvestre Mudacumura, since 2012; a  \\n \\n(b) \\nUganda: Joseph Kony, since 2005; \\n \\n(c) \\nCentral African Republic: Mahamat Nouradine Adam, since 2019; \\n \\n(d) \\nDarfur: Ahmad Harun, since 2007; Omar Al-Bashir, since 2009 and 2010; \\nAbdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein, since 2012; and Abdallah Banda, since 2014; \\n \\n(e) \\nKenya: Walter Barasa, since 2013; and Philip Kipkoech Bett, since 2015;  \\n \\n(f) \\nLibya: Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, since 2011;  \\n \\n(g) \\nMali: Iyad Ag Ghaly, since 2017; \\n \\n(h) \\nGeorgia: Mikhail Mayramovich Mindzaev, Gamlet Guchmazov and David \\nGeorgiyevich Sanakoev, since 2022; \\n \\n(i) \\nUkraine: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-\\nBelova, since 2023; and Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash, Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, \\nSergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu and Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, since 2024. b \\n \\nThe Court calls upon States Parties and others to provide the necessary \\ncooperation and assistance for their arrest and surrender to the Court. \\n \\n \\n \\na Efforts are being undertaken to verify the reported death of Sylvestre Mudacumura (in 2019). \\n \\nb While the warrants are secret, the Chamber has authorized the Registry to make public their \\nexistence, the names of the suspects and the legal qualification of the alleged crimes, considering \\nthat public awareness of the warrants may contribute to the prevention of the further commission \\nof crimes pursuant to article 58, paragraph 1 (b) (iii) of the Rome Statute. \\n \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n4/19 \\n \\n \\n Introduction \\n \\n \\n1. \\nThe present report, which covers the period from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, \\nis submitted in accordance with article 6 of the Relationship Agreement between the \\nUnited Nations and the International Criminal Court (see A/58/874 and \\nA/58/874/Add.1).1  \\n \\n \\n \\nI. Update on judicial and prosecutorial activities  \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Situations and cases \\n \\n \\n2. \\nDuring the reporting period, the Chambers issued 532 written decisions, in \\naddition to oral and email decisions. Some 158 hearings were held. \\n3. \\nA combined total of over 16,000 victims participated in cases before the Court. \\nDuring the reporting period, the Court received more than 4,500 new victim \\napplication forms, as well as a total of 164 representation forms from victims and \\nvictim groups with regard to the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. \\nThe Registry also received and processed follow-up information for approximately \\n650 existing applications. \\n4. \\nAs of July 2024, the Court had determined that approximately 5,500 victims \\nwere eligible for reparations in the Katanga, Lubanga and Al Mahdi cases, of which \\nclose to 75 per cent of beneficiaries had received reparations or were enrolled in \\nreparation programmes. In relation to the Ntaganda and Ongwen cases, the Registry \\nis in the process of identifying approximately 10,000 and 50,000 individuals, \\nrespectively, for enrolment in reparation programmes. \\n5. \\nThe above-mentioned statistics do not reflect confidential proceedings before \\npretrial chambers. \\n \\n \\n1. \\nSituation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings and reparations \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo \\n \\n6. \\nThe Trust Fund for Victims continued to implement the symbolic collective \\nreparations and collective service-based reparations ordered by Trial Chamber II. In \\ntotal, 2,471 former child soldiers have been deemed eligible for a reparations award; \\n1,324 beneficiaries have completed or are currently benefiting from service-based \\nreparations in the form of medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation and \\nsocioeconomic support. As part of the symbolic reparations award, the Trust Fund has \\ncontinued construction of four community centres. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga \\n \\n7. \\nAt the request of the victims, a ceremony was held on 24 April 2024 in Bunia, \\nIturi Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, to mark the completion of the \\nimplementation of reparations in the Katanga case. The reparations, which had been \\nordered by Trial Chamber II on 24 March 2017, benefited individuals who lost family \\nmembers, suffered physical and psychological harm and lost their homes, property \\nand livestock as a result of the attack of 24 February 2003 on the village of Bogoro, \\nIturi Province, for which Mr. Katanga had been found guilty, as an accessory, of one \\n__________________ \\n \\n1  More information on the Court’s activities can be found on its website, www.icc-cpi.int. \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n5/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\ncount of a crime against humanity (murder) and four counts of war crimes (murder, \\nattacking a civilian population, destruction of property and pillaging). \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda  \\n \\n8. \\nTrial Chamber II remained seized of the implementation of the reparations order \\nissued on 8 March 2021 by Trial Chamber VI and the addendum issued by Trial \\nChamber II on 14 July 2023, which included the estimation of the approximate \\nnumber of direct and indirect victims of crimes against child soldiers (3,000), the \\nestimation of the approximate number of direct and indirect victims of the attacks \\n(7,500) and an assessment of Mr. Ntaganda’s liability for reparations ($31,300,000).  \\n9. \\nMr. Ntaganda and the legal representatives of the victims of the attack filed an \\nappeal against the addendum. On 5 February 2024, the Appeals Chamber rejected the \\nrequests for suspensive effect of the appeal. The appeal is pending. \\n10. On 27 February 2024, Trial Chamber II approved the updated draft \\nimplementation plan for reparations of the Trust Fund for Victims and endorsed the \\nbeneficiary eligibility determinations. The Registry is conducting victim identification \\nand eligibility screening for reparations in various locations. \\n11. \\nBetween 2022 and 2024, the Trust Fund for Victims provided initial reparations \\nto 123 priority victims in urgent need. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n12. The Office of the Prosecutor continues to deepen its engagement with the \\nauthorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other stakeholders, including \\nthrough multiple field deployments. Those efforts have included a significant focus \\non encouraging national proceedings to address serious crimes, in line with the \\nmemorandum of understanding signed on 1 June 2023. Following a workshop held in \\nKinshasa in November 2023 and a follow-up mission undertaken by experts from the \\nOffice’s forensic team in February 2024 to identify challenges and capacity-building \\nneeds, the Office has continued its evaluation of the handling of priority cases by \\nnational judicial authorities.  \\n \\n \\n(c) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n13. In 2008, the Trust Fund for Victims launched a programme for the benefit of \\nvictims in respect of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over \\n2,000 affected individuals directly benefited from rehabilitation services in 2023.  \\n14. To support domestic efforts for the benefit of victims, in May 2024, the Trust \\nFund, in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for \\nHuman Rights, co-facilitated a workshop for the benefit of the national fund for \\nreparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence and victims of crimes \\nagainst the peace and security of humanity, with a view to sharing experiences, \\nchallenges and lessons learned in the design and implementation of reparation \\nprogrammes.  \\n \\n \\n2. \\nSituation in Uganda \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings and reparations \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen \\n \\n15. Following the conviction of Mr. Ongwen on 4 February 2021, which was \\nconfirmed on appeal, on 28 February 2024 Trial Chamber IX issued a reparations \\norder, setting his financial liability to €52,429,000. The liability considered the \\nestimated 49,772 victims affected by the 61 crimes for which Mr. Ongwen was \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n6/19 \\n \\nsentenced to 25 years in prison, including sexual and gender-based crimes, crimes \\ncommitted against children and crimes creating transgenerational harm. The financial \\nliability includes an award for collective community-based reparations, consisting of \\ncollective rehabilitation programmes, as well as symbolic and satisfaction measures, \\nincluding a symbolic award of €750 for all eligible victims. In December 2023, \\nMr. Ongwen was transferred to Norway to serve his sentence. \\n16. Mr. Ongwen has appealed the reparations order. On 16 May 2024, the Appeals \\nChamber rejected Mr. Ongwen’s request for suspensive effect of the appeal. \\n17. Between May and July 2024, the Trust Fund for Victims conducted \\nconsultations with 2,715 potential beneficiaries of reparations in five locations in \\nnorthern Uganda relevant to the crimes for which Mr. Ongwen was convicted. The \\nconsultations will inform the draft implementation plan for reparations. The Trust \\nFund also announced its first urgent funding appeal of €5 million in June 2024 to start \\na reparations programme in this case. In addition, the Registry has been establishing \\na framework for victim identification and eligibility screening for reparations in \\nvarious locations across the country. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti \\n \\n18. On 17 November 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II terminated the proceedings against \\nVincent Otti, finding that, based on the information provided by the Prosecution, the \\nonly reasonable conclusion was that Mr. Otti is deceased. As a consequence, only the \\narrest warrant for Joseph Kony remained outstanding with respect to the situation. \\n19. On 23 November 2023, following the Prosecution’s request to hold a hearing on \\nthe confirmation of charges against Mr. Kony in his absence, Pre-Trial Chamber II \\nfound that Mr. Kony qualified as a person who “cannot be found” within the meaning \\nof article 61, paragraph 2 (b) of the Rome Statute, that all reasonable steps to secure \\nhis appearance had been taken and that there would be cause to hold a confirmation \\nhearing against him in his absence. The Chamber instructed the Registry to submit a \\nplan indicating the outreach activities and notification efforts it would pursue to \\ninform Mr. Kony of the charges. \\n20. On 4 March 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II found that all reasonable steps to inform \\nMr. Kony of the charges had been taken and decided that the hearing on the \\nconfirmation of charges against Mr. Kony, to be held in his absence should he not \\nappear, would commence on 15 October 2024. On 24 June 2024, Peter Haynes was \\nappointed as counsel for Mr. Kony. The Registry is reaching out to victims for their \\npotential participation in these proceedings. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n21. On 1 December 2023, the Prosecutor announced the conclusion of the \\ninvestigation phase in the situation in Uganda. Accordingly, absent a significant \\nchange in circumstances and without prejudice to the work required to support the \\nongoing judicial process, the Office will not pursue new lines of inquiry and will \\nfocus on ensuring the successful prosecution of Joseph Kony, the alleged leader of \\nthe Lord’s Resistance Army. The Office will continue to devote concerted efforts, in \\ncollaboration with the Registry and relevant partners, to secure his arrest. The Office \\nwill work with the Ugandan authorities and civil society to ensure that information \\nand evidence are shared under the framework of the Office’s Policy on \\nComplementarity and Cooperation.  \\n \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n7/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\n \\n(c) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n22. In 2008, the Trust Fund for Victims launched a programme for the benefit of \\nvictims in respect of the situation in Uganda. Over 6,500 affected individuals directly \\nbenefited from rehabilitation services in 2023.  \\n \\n \\n3. \\nSituation in the Central African Republic I and situation in the Central African \\nRepublic II \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona  \\n \\n23. The Prosecution concluded its presentation of evidence on 11 September 2023, \\nat which time the Chamber had heard the testimony of 75 witnesses called by the \\nProsecution. In addition, the Chamber received more than 10,000 items of evidence \\nfrom the Prosecution. Following the Prosecution, the legal representatives of the \\nvictims presented their evidence by calling three witnesses, and the testimony of one \\nChamber witness was heard. On 28 November 2023, the Defence for Mr. Yekatom \\nmade its opening statements and subsequently called 18 witnesses. In addition to live \\ntestimony, the Chamber received the written testimony of over 50 witnesses from the \\nProsecution and the Defence. The Chamber granted participatory status to 299 victims, \\nbringing the total number to 1,965. The Registry continues to engage with victim \\ncommunities and collect victims’ information. \\n24. On 20 May 2024, the Appeals Chamber confirmed two decisions of Trial \\nChamber V, in which the Prosecution’s requests to introduce prior recorded testimony \\nwere granted. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Mahamat Said Abdel Kani \\n \\n25. The trial resumed following the adjournment of the proceedings in February \\n2023 on account of Mr. Said’s medical condition. On 15 December 2023, Trial \\nChamber VI found Mr. Said fit to stand trial. The Chamber continues to monitor his \\ncondition and his physical ability to participate in a regular sitting schedule. The \\nChamber has heard 44 witnesses called by the Prosecution. \\n26. To date, the Chamber has granted participatory status to 31 victims. The Registry \\ncontinues to engage with victim communities and collect victims’ information. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka \\n \\n27. From 22 to 24 August 2023, the Chamber held a hearing on the confirmation of \\ncharges. On 16 October 2023, the Prosecution notified the Chamber of the withdrawal \\nof all charges against Mr. Mokom. On 17 October 2023, the Chamber terminated the \\nproceedings against him and ordered his immediate release. The Chamber ordered the \\nRegistry to ensure that Mr. Mokom’s rights as a free person are not restricted, while \\nrequesting him to abide by certain practical arrangements. \\n28. On 18 January 2024, the Chamber rejected the extradition request from the \\nCentral African Republic. Noting that no other State was willing to accept \\nMr. Mokom, the Chamber decided that its residual jurisdiction regarding Mr. Mokom \\nwould conclude on 8 February 2024 if no such State was identified by that date; in \\nthat event, he would fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the host State. \\n29. On 23 April 2024, Mr. Mokom filed a request pursuant to article 85 of the Rome \\nStatute, seeking compensation for the harm and damage allegedly caused to him as a \\nresult of the proceedings against him. A special chamber composed of three judges \\nhas been constituted to hear the claim. \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n8/19 \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n30. Investigative activities continued in relation to all pending cases before the \\nCourt, including the arrest warrant against Mahamat Nouradine Adam. The Office of \\nthe Prosecutor has deepened its cooperation with the authorities of the Central African \\nRepublic, including through a visit by the Deputy Prosecutor, Mame Mandiaye Niang, \\nin November 2023, during which he signed memorandums of understanding with the \\nGovernment of the Central African Republic and the Special Criminal Court, as a \\nreflection of a joint commitment to strengthen collaboration to effectively address \\ninternational crimes committed in the country.  \\n31. The Office continued its tracking efforts with good cooperation from various \\nstakeholders. \\n \\n \\n(c) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n32. Since 2020, the Trust Fund for Victims has been implementing a programme for \\nthe benefit of victims in the Central African Republic. Over 15,000 affected \\nindividuals, including nearly 8,000 victims of sexual and gender-based crimes, have \\ndirectly benefited from rehabilitation services since the start of the programme.  \\n \\n \\n4. \\nSituation in Darfur \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”) \\n \\n33. The trial of Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman continued in 2023 with the presentation of \\nviews and concerns by the victims and the presentation of evidence by the Defence. \\nThe presentation of evidence by the victims concluded in October 2023, and the \\nDefence started the presentation of its evidence immediately thereafter. The Chamber \\nhas heard 17 witnesses called by the Defence. The Chamber granted participatory \\nstatus to an additional 731 victims, bringing the total number to 1,331. The Registry \\ncontinues to engage with victim communities and collect victims’ information. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n34. The Office of the Prosecutor continued to advance investigations with cooperation \\nfrom different States and increased cooperation from Sudanese authorities. In \\nSeptember 2023, the Prosecutor met with First Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah \\nAl-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan on the sidelines of the General Assembly and \\nunderlined the obligations of the Sudan pursuant to Security Council resolution 1593 \\n(2005) with respect to cooperating with the Court and ensuring justice for the people \\nof the Sudan. Following that meeting, a new focal point for cooperation was appointed \\nby the Government of the Sudan, which has assisted in improving cooperation. \\n35. On 29 January 2024, during his visit to Chad, the Prosecutor briefed the Security \\nCouncil on the situation in Darfur. The Office is accelerating its operations, with \\nmultiple field missions and advanced exploitation of online open sources, and \\nharnessing its partnerships with civil society actors, victims’ groups, national \\nauthorities and international and regional organizations. \\n36. In relation to the ongoing violence in Darfur, the Office is prioritizing \\ninvestigations of crimes affecting children and gender-based crimes. The Office has \\nconducted several outreach missions to refugee camps in the east of Chad. The Office \\ncontinues to engage constructively with various national authorities that are \\ndeveloping relevant investigations. \\n \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n9/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\n \\n5. \\nSituation in Kenya \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n37. On 27 November 2023, the Deputy Prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, \\nannounced the conclusion of the investigation phase with respect to the situation in \\nKenya, after considering the specific facts and circumstances.  \\n38. The Office will not pursue additional cases into the alleged criminal \\nresponsibility of other persons but maintains its capacity to act on information relating \\nto retaliation against witnesses.  \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n39. In April 2023, the Trust Fund for Victims launched a two-year programme for \\nthe benefit of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in respect of the situation \\nin Kenya. Over 190 affected individuals directly benefited from rehabilitation \\nservices in 2023. \\n \\n \\n6. \\nSituation in Libya \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n40. On 9 November 2023 and 14 May 2024, pursuant to Security Council resolution \\n1970 (2011), the Prosecutor briefed the Council on the situation in Libya and outlined \\na road map aimed at completing the investigation phase by the end of 2025, subject \\nto operational conditions.  \\n41. The Prosecutor further updated the Security Council on the implementation of \\nthe strategic plan adopted in respect of this situation in 2022, which involved multiple \\ninvestigative operations, enhanced cooperation with national authorities from Libya \\nand other States and continued outreach with survivors and civil society. The Office \\nsucceeded in significantly advancing investigations, including through interviewing \\nmany witnesses, and collected substantial evidence, including from open sources, \\ndocuments, forensics and satellite imagery.  \\n42. The Office made particular progress with respect to crimes committed over the \\nperiod 2014–2020, and related investigations are advancing successfully towards \\ncompletion. The investigations related to detention facilities and crimes against \\nmigrants have also been advanced significantly. The implementation of new \\ntechnologies and the new “OTPLink” portal to receive submissions from the public \\nhave been instrumental to this progress.  \\n43. The Prosecutor’s vision of having the Office operate as a cooperation hub has \\nbeen implemented in this situation with positive results. The Office continued to work \\nclosely with the joint team that is investigating crimes against migrants on the central \\nMediterranean route. Through this cooperation, significant contributions have been \\nmade to investigations and prosecutions related to trafficking in persons in Italy and \\nthe Kingdom of the Netherlands. \\n44. In April 2024, the Deputy Prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, conducted a \\nproductive mission to Tripoli, setting the course for enhanced cooperation with the \\nAttorney General and other national actors, including civil society.  \\n \\n \\n7. \\nSituation in Côte d’Ivoire \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n45. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its efforts to secure cooperation from \\nnational authorities, international organizations, civil society organizations and other \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n10/19 \\n \\nrelevant stakeholders to assist in accelerating the ongoing investigations into crimes \\nallegedly committed between December 2010 and June 2011 in the context of \\npost-electoral violence. The Office has been conducting regular investigative missions \\nand is seeking to move its activities towards the next phase of the proceedings. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n46. Since 2022, the Trust Fund for Victims has been implementing a programme for \\nthe benefit of victims in respect of the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. Over 160 affected \\nindividuals, related to 13 identified incidents, directly benefited from rehabilitation \\nservices in 2023. Furthermore, the Trust Fund collaborated with artists to realize \\nmemorials in accordance with the wishes of affected communities comprising over \\n131,000 victims. The first stone was laid for a memorial near Abidjan in the presence \\nof senior Government officials; five other memorials have been built and will be \\ninaugurated in the upcoming reporting period. \\n \\n \\n8. \\nSituation in Mali \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings and reparations \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi \\n \\n47. The Trust Fund for Victims continued to implement the reparations ordered by \\nTrial Chamber VIII on 17 August 2017 for the community of Timbuktu. Implementation \\nof the symbolic reparations award was completed in March 2021 with ceremonies in \\nBamako and Timbuktu. In June 2024, the Trust Fund completed the delivery of \\nindividual awards in the form of financial compensation to 1,685 eligible victims of \\nthe attacks against religious and historic buildings in June and July 2012. The Trust \\nFund continues to implement the collective awards, which include the restoration of \\nprotected buildings of cultural value; memorialization measures to address the moral \\ndamage caused to the Timbuktu community; and the establishment of an economic \\nresilience facility to address the indirect economic damage caused to the community.  \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud \\n \\n48. On 26 June 2024, Trial Chamber X, by majority, convicted Mr. Al Hassan of the \\ncrimes against humanity of torture, persecution and other inhumane acts and of the \\nwar crimes of torture, outrage upon personal dignity, mutilation, cruel treatment and \\nthe passing of sentences without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly \\nconstituted court, affording all judicial guarantees which are generally recognized as \\nindispensable. These crimes were committed between 2 April 2012 and 29 January \\n2013 in Timbuktu, northern Mali, in the context of control by Ansar Eddine and \\nAl-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb over the region.  \\n49. The Chamber found that certain crimes of sexual violence had been committed \\nin Timbuktu during the relevant period, but that Mr. Al Hassan was not guilty of the \\nwar crimes of rape and sexual slavery or of the crimes against humanity of rape, \\nsexual slavery and other inhumane acts in the form of forced marriage. He was also \\nfound not guilty of the war crime of attacking protected objects. \\n50. Proceedings on sentencing are under way, and the conviction is subject to \\nappeal. The Registry has relaunched consultations with victim communities and is \\ncollecting mapping information for the impending reparation proceedings. \\n \\n \\n \\nThe Prosecutor v. Iyad Ag Ghaly \\n \\n51. On 21 June 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a public redacted version of the \\nwarrant of arrest against Iyad Ag Ghaly, initially issued on 18 July 2017, for war \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n11/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\ncrimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in northern Mali between \\nJanuary 2012 and January 2013. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n52. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its activities and monitored developments \\nand reports of atrocity crimes on the ground. The Office has also explored additional \\noptions to reinforce the impact of its activities, including by developing synergies \\nwith the Malian national justice system and other partners under the framework of \\ncomplementarity. \\n \\n \\n(c) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n53. Since 2022, the Trust Fund for Victims has implemented a programme that is \\naimed at providing support to victims of incidents under the jurisdiction of the Court \\nin the areas of Mopti and Gao, complementing the reparation programme implemented \\nfor victims in Timbuktu. \\n \\n \\n9. \\nSituation in Georgia \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n54. The Office of the Prosecutor continued to monitor the situation as part of its \\ntracking activities. Following the conclusion of the investigation phase on 16 December \\n2022, the Office has focused its efforts on ensuring trial readiness in relation to the \\nexisting warrants of arrest. The Office has also undertaken preservation activities \\nunder article 56 of the Rome Statute. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n55. In 2023, the Trust Fund for Victims launched a programme for the benefit of \\nvictims in respect of the situation in Georgia; over 530 affected individuals directly \\nbenefited from rehabilitation services during the first year. \\n \\n \\n10. \\nSituation in Burundi \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n56. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation, conducting missions to \\na number of countries, despite a lack of cooperation from the Government of Burundi. \\nThe Office received cooperation from States, United Nations entities and civil society \\norganizations and has been progressively advancing its investigative work. \\n \\n \\n11. \\nSituation in Afghanistan \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations  \\n \\n57. The Office of the Prosecutor conducted major investigative activities, including \\nextensive engagement with witnesses and the collection of documentary evidence, \\npublic statements and decrees by leaders, and large volumes of open source material. \\nReports of systematic discrimination and persecution are one of the Office’s \\ninvestigative priorities. Investigations are advancing progressively, thanks to \\ncooperation from civil society organizations, survivors, national authorities and \\ninternational organizations. The Office has integrated gender experts into the \\ninvestigation team, along with country experts, with a view to ensuring that the gender \\ndimension of the alleged crimes is addressed. The progress made should establish a \\nfoundation for applications for warrants of arrest.  \\n \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n12/19 \\n \\n \\n12. \\nSituation in Bangladesh/Myanmar \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n58. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation with missions, the \\ncollection and analysis of evidence, interviews with witnesses in Bangladesh, \\nfacilitated by the rotational presence of investigators in the country, and initiatives \\naimed at strengthening engagement and cooperation with partners in the region. Given \\nthe severe trauma among victims caused both by the violent attacks in their homeland \\nand by subsequent protracted displacement and harsh conditions of life, the Office \\nhas taken special care to adopt trauma-informed strategies, including careful contact \\nand screening of potential witnesses and specialized support from psychosocial experts.  \\n59. The Office has engaged with Government ministries in Bangladesh, diplomats, \\ninternational organizations and non-governmental organizations regarding requests \\nfor assistance and to inform them of developments. The significant progress made with \\nthe investigations should establish the foundation for applications for warrants of arrest. \\n \\n \\n13. \\nSituation in the State of Palestine \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n60. Pre-Trial Chamber I has granted leave for several amici curiae to file written \\nobservations pursuant to rule 103 of the Court’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence. \\nThe Registry continues to receive victim applications for participation in potential \\nfuture criminal proceedings and reparations. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n61. Following dedicated investigative efforts, including for events since 7 October \\n2023, the Prosecutor announced in May 2024 that he had filed applications for arrest \\nwarrants in relation to five individuals. \\n62. The Office continues its investigation into the situation, covering multiple lines \\nof inquiry pertaining to alleged crimes committed in Gaza and the West Bank, \\nincluding East Jerusalem, since 13 June 2014. With a view to further strengthening \\naction, the Office continues to engage with all relevant parties and stakeholders, \\nincluding civil society, States and international and regional organizations. As in all \\nsituations, complementarity remains an important consideration in the Office’s \\noverall approach.  \\n \\n \\n14. \\nSituation in the Philippines \\n \\n \\n \\nInvestigations \\n \\n63. The Office of the Prosecutor has continued its planning and investigative \\nactivities and engagement with key stakeholders, including civil society organizations, \\nwith a view to advancing its investigation. \\n \\n \\n15. \\nSituation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela I \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n64. On 7 and 8 November 2023, the Appeals Chamber held a hearing on the appeal \\nof the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela against the Pre-Trial Chamber I decision of \\n27 June 2023 authorizing the resumption of the Prosecution’s investigation, pursuant \\nto article 18, paragraph 2 of the Rome Statute. On 1 March 2024, the Appeals Chamber \\ndelivered a judgment confirming the decision. The Registry facilitated victims’ \\nparticipation in these proceedings through a standardized victim consultation system. \\n \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n13/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations \\n \\n65. After the 27 June 2023 ruling by Pre-Trial Chamber I, the Office of the \\nProsecutor resumed its independent investigation while engaging in litigation before \\nthe Appeals Chamber following the appeal lodged by the authorities of the \\nGovernment of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In this context, the Office \\nbenefited from cooperation with various national and international stakeholders. \\n66. The Office also continued to engage with the Venezuelan authorities within the \\nframework of the two memorandums of understanding signed with the Government \\nin 2021 and 2023 to promote cooperation and complementarity. The Prosecutor \\nconducted a fourth official visit to the country in June 2024, during which he \\ninaugurated the in-country office for his Office and placed focus on the \\nimplementation of the joint workplan signed with the Government in December 2023.  \\n \\n \\n16. \\nSituation in Ukraine \\n \\n \\n(a) \\nJudicial proceedings \\n \\n67. On 5 March 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II issued warrants of arrest against Sergei \\nIvanovich Kobylash, Lieutenant General in the Russian Armed Forces and \\nCommander of long-range aviation of the Aerospace Force at the relevant time, and \\nViktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, admiral in the Russian Navy and Commander of the \\nBlack Sea fleet at the relevant time. On 24 June 2024, it issued warrants of arrest \\nagainst Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation \\nat the relevant time, and Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of \\nthe Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Minister of Defence at \\nthe relevant time. All four individuals are allegedly responsible for the war crime of \\ndirecting attacks at civilian objects, the war crime of causing excessive incidental \\nharm to civilians or damage to civilian objects and the crime against humanity of \\ninhumane acts, allegedly committed from at least 10 October 2022 until at least \\n9 March 2023. The Registry continues to receive victim applications. \\n \\n \\n(b) \\nInvestigations  \\n \\n68. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its investigation across multiple \\ninterconnected lines, engaging actively on the ground in Ukraine and the region. The \\nOffice has benefited from effective cooperation with Ukraine and engaged in \\ncooperation and coordination efforts with a variety of domestic and international \\nstakeholders, including in the context of the joint investigation team established under \\nthe auspices of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation. The \\nOffice also continued to benefit from the deployment of teams of experts by States \\nparties under the Office’s innovative forensic rotation model. \\n69. The Court officially opened its country office in Ukraine in September 2023 in \\nthe presence of the Prosecutor, thereby deepening the Office’s investigative activities \\nin the country and its engagement with the Office of the Prosecutor General of \\nUkraine, local civil society organizations and other partners. \\n \\n \\n(c) \\nProgramme for the benefit of victims \\n \\n70. The Trust Fund for Victims has engaged with Ukrainian authorities and with the \\nRegister of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against \\nUkraine to consider potential collaboration, the exchanging of experiences and \\npotential synergies in efforts to seek redress for victims of crimes under the \\njurisdiction of the Court in respect of the situation in Ukraine. \\n \\n \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n14/19 \\n \\n \\nB. Preliminary examinations \\n \\n \\n71. The Office of the Prosecutor has been seized of preliminary examinations in \\nthree situations: Nigeria, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela II and Democratic \\nRepublic of the Congo II. \\n72. The preliminary examination in relation to the situation in Nigeria has been \\ncompleted, and the Office engaged in next steps, including a visit by the Deputy \\nProsecutor, Mame Mandiaye Niang, to Nigeria in March 2024, where he held \\nconstructive meetings with relevant national authorities and institutions, the \\ndiplomatic community and civil society organizations. The Office noted the country’s \\ndetermination to close the impunity gap but remains committed to moving forward \\nwith investigations in the absence of genuine efforts by the Nigerian authorities.  \\n73. In relation to the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela II, the Office \\nworked towards finalizing its assessment of the preliminary examination and engaged \\nwith the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and civil society to \\nthat end.  \\n74. In relation to the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo II, the Office \\nconducted an assessment of jurisdiction and admissibility, including in the context of \\na technical-level mission to the country, as well as an assessment of the potential \\nlinkage of the situation with the existing situation in the Democratic Republic of the \\nCongo I. \\n75. The Office also considered large volumes of submissions received under \\narticle 15 of the Rome Statute and worked towards the finalization of its assessment \\non a number of situations at the initial filtering stage.  \\n \\n \\n \\nC. Other activities \\n \\n \\n76. The Prosecutor visited Colombia in April 2024 in order to launch the Office’s \\nPolicy on Cooperation and Complementarity, with the participation of officials from \\nthe Government of Colombia, senior national experts and civil society representatives.  \\n77. In March 2024, the Deputy Prosecutor, Mame Mandiaye Niang, visited Guinea \\nin the context of the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed on \\n28 September 2022 in Conakry. He met with senior Government officials and \\nexpressed satisfaction with the ongoing trial and with the country’s commitment to \\nbringing the alleged perpetrators to justice. During these exchanges, Guinean \\nauthorities identified areas in which support was needed. The Deputy Prosecutor \\ncommitted to engaging with key actors and partners, such as the Team of Experts on \\nthe Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, relevant sections of the Court and \\nthe Trust Fund for Victims, with a view to proposing an action plan aimed at \\nfacilitating the exchange of expertise and knowledge transfer for the benefit of \\nnational judicial personnel.  \\n \\n \\n \\nII. International cooperation \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Cooperation with the United Nations \\n \\n \\n78. The Court continued to receive crucial cooperation and support from the United \\nNations and its senior leadership, in line with the 2004 Relationship Agreement. The \\nCourt principals valued the constructive bilateral meetings held throughout the \\nreporting period with senior United Nations officials. \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n15/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\n79. The Court recognizes the critical role of the Under-Secretary-General for Legal \\nAffairs, the United Nations Legal Counsel, as the interface between the Court and the \\nUnited Nations, in particular for the transmission and coordination of judicial \\ncooperation requests. The Court continued to reimburse staffing costs for two posts \\nin the Office of Legal Affairs, at the P-3 and P-2 levels, to handle the significant \\namount of requests from the Court for assistance and cooperation. The Court’s liaison \\noffice to the United Nations continued to facilitate cooperation between the two \\norganizations, represent the Court in various meetings, apprise the Court of relevant \\ndevelopments at the United Nations and facilitate and support meetings between \\nofficials of the two organizations. The liaison office also acts as a key contact point \\nbetween the Court and permanent missions to the United Nations. \\n80. In May 2024, the liaison office, together with the Office of Legal Affairs, \\ncoordinated the convening of a virtual round table meeting as a forum for \\nInternational Criminal Court focal points across the United Nations system and their \\ncounterparts from various organs of the Court and its Trust Fund for Victims. The \\ntopics discussed included cooperation with the United Nations, including United \\nNations entities with a humanitarian mandate, and modalities for the provision of \\nlogistical support by United Nations field operations. \\n81. The Court highly appreciates the continued cooperation from various United \\nNations entities, departments, offices and special advisers and representatives of the \\nSecretary-General, including those present in the field, which is essential for its \\noperations. The Court’s offices in the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the \\nDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Uganda and Ukraine played an important \\nrole by liaising with United Nations entities in this respect. Support from United \\nNations entities will also be invaluable as the Court is currently undertaking to open \\noffices in a number of additional countries.  \\n82. The Registry of the Court continued to receive, with appreciation, support from \\nthe United Nations for the deployment of Court personnel throughout the many \\ncountries in which it operates, and there were continued requests for operational \\nsupport for several actors and participants in the proceedings (defence teams, Office \\nof the Prosecutor, legal representatives of victims and staff of the Trust Fund for \\nVictims). A total of 103 missions received support from the United Nations.  \\n83. The Office of the Prosecutor continued to expand engagement with the Office \\nof the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including through \\nthematic exchanges and cooperation in relation to ongoing activities. \\n84. The Court continued to cooperate with United Nations common system \\norganizations by participating in inter-agency meetings on facilities management, \\ntravel and security. The country offices and the Court’s liaison office at United \\nNations Headquarters have also benefited from coordination in administrative and \\nmanagement areas across the United Nations system. The Court continued to \\nparticipate in the United Nations security management system and relied on the \\nUnited Nations for services such as transportation, radio and video communication, \\nmedical assistance, security briefings and security training on a reimbursable basis. \\nThe Court also continued engaging with the High-level Committee on Management. \\n85. During the reporting period, eight of the Court’s staff members were on loan, \\none was on secondment to other international organizations and one was transferred \\nto other organizations under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, \\nSecondment or Loan of Staff among the Organizations Applying the United Nations \\nCommon System of Salaries and Allowances. One United Nations staff member is \\ncurrently on secondment to the Court, and the Court received one staff member on \\ntransfer from other international organizations.  \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n16/19 \\n \\n86. The Senior Legal Adviser of the Registry and the Director of the Secretariat of \\nthe Assembly of States Parties attended the 2024 meeting of the informal network of \\nthe Legal Advisers of the Specialized Agencies and the Related and Other \\nOrganizations of the United Nations System in Montreal from 27 to 30 May 2024. \\n87. The United Nations supported, on a reimbursable basis, the hosting of the \\ntwenty-second session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute at United \\nNations Headquarters from 4 to 14 December 2023, as well as the hosting of the event \\norganized by the Assembly to commemorate the World Day for International Justice, \\nheld at United Nations Headquarters on 17 July 2024. The exhibition entitled \\n“Common bonds”, which was produced by the Court in collaboration with the Trust \\nFund for Victims and which includes photographs contributed by multiple United \\nNations entities, has been on display at United Nations Headquarters since 16 July \\n2024, where it will remain until 23 August 2024. Social media content produced by \\nthe Court, including content related to Sustainable Development Goal 16, was \\namplified on United Nations social media platforms, reaching millions of people. The \\nCourt is grateful to the United Nations for its valuable communications support. \\n88. The Prosecutor’s biannual briefings to the Security Council on the situations in \\nDarfur and Libya provided opportunities to inform the Council and United Nations \\nmembership of progress and challenges related to his Office’s investigations and of \\nthe importance of cooperation, including with regard to outstanding arrest warrants. \\nThe Court is grateful for the Council’s support, which the States parties to the Rome \\nStatute serving on the Council play a key role in securing, under the coordination of \\nthe Co-Chairs of the Court’s Security Council caucus, Japan and Switzerland.  \\n \\n \\n \\nB. Cooperation with and assistance from States, other international \\norganizations and civil society \\n \\n \\n89. States continued to provide highly valuable assistance in relation to the Court’s \\ninvestigations and prosecutions, including with respect to the identification and \\nrecovery of assets, the provision of documents and the facilitation of missions of the \\nCourt on their territory.  \\n90. During the reporting period, the Registry transmitted 416 primary requests for \\ncooperation to States parties, other States and international and regional organizations, \\nwhich are essential to ensure the advancement of judicial proceedings. In addition, \\nthe Registry transmitted 734 requests for visas to States, and country offices transmitted \\nnumerous requests for cooperation to support the operations of Court personnel in \\nsituation countries.  \\n91. The Office of the Prosecutor continued its efforts to enhance cooperation with \\npartners, including by increasingly incorporating the use of technology and \\nintelligence-led actions. The Office transmitted 519 requests for assistance (including \\n175 notifications for missions), to States parties, States not parties, international and \\nregional organizations and other public or private entities, and followed up on the \\nexecution of pending requests. The Office also received 36 incoming requests for \\ncooperation under article 93, paragraph 10 of the Rome Statute.  \\n92. The Registry requested the assistance of States to support the investigative \\nactivities of defence teams, including requests to be given access to documents and \\nto organize meetings with relevant authorities and with potential witnesses. States \\nwere also requested to provide assistance for reparations proceedings, including by \\nidentifying the whereabouts of victims and by supporting the activities of the Trust \\nFund for Victims.  \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n17/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\n93. As demonstrated by the list of outstanding arrest warrants in the summary of the \\npresent report, the arrest and surrender of individuals subject to the Court’s warrants \\nremains a critical challenge, one that requires an intensified engagement by States. \\nThe Registry and the Office of the Prosecutor continued to work closely together on \\ntracking activities and within the inter-organ working group on arrest strategies. The \\nCourt reiterates the importance it attaches to the Secretary-General’s guidance on \\ncontacts with persons who are the subject of arrest warrants or summonses issued by \\nthe Court (A/67/828-S/2013/210).  \\n94. The Court continued to encourage States to conclude cooperation agreements \\nregarding the relocation of witnesses under threat, the enforcement of sentences and \\nthe interim and final release of suspects or accused. The lack of long-term solutions \\nto address these gaps has a critical impact on the Court’s ability to function properly.  \\n95. The Court continued its efforts to further enhance cooperation with national, \\nregional and international judicial and law enforcement networks in support of its \\nneeds and to assist national proceedings, where appropriate, in accordance with the \\nprinciple of complementarity. \\n96. The Court also continued to develop its interaction with regional intergovernmental \\norganizations, including through participation by the Deputy Prosecutor, Mame \\nMandiaye Niang, in the thirty-seventh African Union Summit in February 2024.  \\n97. The Registry continued its efforts to obtain sufficient funds for the trust fund \\nused for family visits for indigent detainees and for securing relevant visas. The Court \\norganized three family visits, in which six persons participated in total, four adults \\nand two children.  \\n98. With the financial support of the European Commission and other donors, the \\nCourt organized over 15 seminars and events in support of efforts to strengthen \\ncooperation, complementarity and universality, including a high-level regional \\nseminar in Seoul.  \\n99. The Court greatly values the activities that civil society partners undertake to \\nraise awareness of the Court and promote the universal ratification and full \\nimplementation of the Rome Statute, and it continued to participate in those activities. \\nFrom 24 to 28 June 2024, the Court held, in hybrid format, an annual round table with \\nnon-governmental organizations.  \\n100. The Office of the Prosecutor further intensified its engagement with civil society \\norganizations from situation countries, including by appointing a civil society \\norganization focal point and engaging in regular consultations on thematic priorities. \\nThe Office held its most recent thematic round table event for civil society \\norganizations on the trauma-informed approach to investigations and prosecutions, \\nand it also held a dedicated session with civil society organization partners on the \\ndevelopment of a new structured dialogue with civil society in line with its new Policy \\non Complementarity and Cooperation. \\n \\n \\n \\nIII. Institutional developments \\n \\n \\n \\nA. Treaty matters \\n \\n \\n101. Armenia ratified the Rome Statute on 14 November 2023, becoming the 124th \\nState party. \\n102. Four States accepted or ratified the amendment to article 124 of the Rome \\nStatute, bringing the total number of States Parties having accepted or ratified this \\namendment to 23. Six States accepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 regarding \\n\\n\\nA/79/198 \\n \\n \\n24-14914 \\n18/19 \\n \\nthe use of weapons that use biological agents or toxins, bringing the total number of \\nStates parties having accepted or ratified the amendment to 21. Six States accepted or \\nratified the amendment to article 8 regarding the use of weapons designed to injure \\nby fragments undetectable by X-rays, bringing the total number of States parties \\nhaving accepted or ratified the amendment to 19. Six States accepted or ratified the \\namendment to article 8 regarding the use of blinding laser weapons, bringing the total \\nnumber of States parties having accepted or ratified the amendment to 19. Five States \\naccepted or ratified the amendment to article 8 on intentionally using the starvation \\nof civilians, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted or ratified the \\namendment to 17.  \\n103. The Court continued efforts to attract all States not among the 124 parties to the \\nRome Statute to join the treaty as soon as possible. \\n \\n \\n \\nB. Elections \\n \\n \\n104. At its twenty-second session, the Assembly of States Parties elected Keebong \\nPaek, Erdenebalsuren Damdin, Iulia Motoc, Haykel Ben Mahfoudh, Nicolas Guillou \\nand Beti Hohler as judges of the Court, each for a nine-year term beginning on \\n11 March 2024. The Assembly also elected, by acclamation, Päivi Kaukoranta as its \\nPresident for its twenty-third to twenty-fifth sessions.  \\n105. On 11 March 2024, the Court’s judges elected Tomoko Akane as President of \\nthe Court for a three-year term, with immediate effect. Rosario Aitala and Reine \\nAlapini-Gansou were elected First Vice-President and Second Vice-President, \\nrespectively. \\n \\n \\n \\nC. Trust Fund for Victims \\n \\n \\n106. As of July 2024, the Trust Fund for Victims had received voluntary contributions \\nfrom 52 States Members of the United Nations. In 2023, it received over €5.3 million \\nfrom 28 Member States, which represents an increase of 40 per cent of the income \\nreceived from voluntary contributions each year.  \\n107. As detailed in section II above, the Trust Fund continued to implement Court-\\nordered reparations and other programmes for the benefit of victims. Around 24,000 \\nindividuals directly benefited from these programmes in 2023, an increase of around \\n53 per cent compared with 2022. In all, 69 per cent of the beneficiaries were women.  \\n108. The Board of Directors of the Trust Fund calls upon States, individuals and \\nentities to make voluntary contributions for the benefit of victims and their families. \\n \\n \\n \\nD. Policy initiatives \\n \\n \\n109. In December 2023, the Office of the Prosecutor issued its Policy on Children \\nand its Policy on Gender-based Crimes. Work is ongoing in relation to the \\npromulgation of policies on crimes of slavery and on environmental crimes. \\n110. On 25 April 2024, the Office of the Prosecutor launched its Policy on \\nComplementarity and Cooperation through field-based events led by the Prosecutor \\nand the Deputy Prosecutors. The policy contains a fundamentally renewed approach \\nto the principles at the heart of the Rome Statute, bringing the Office’s work closer to \\naffected communities and deepening its partnerships with States, civil society and \\nregional and international organizations. The Office’s commitment to bringing justice \\nservices closer to the affected communities is underlined, with a simultaneous focus \\n\\n\\n \\nA/79/198 \\n \\n19/19 \\n24-14914 \\n \\non delivering on the core investigative mandate of the Office and on increasing its \\nability to support the efforts of other criminal jurisdictions and accountability actors. \\n \\n \\n \\nE. Security of the Court \\n \\n \\n111. The Court’s security posture has undergone a transformative shift because of its \\nrecent work in various situations, including most prominently those of Ukraine and \\nthe State of Palestine. \\n112. Security of the Court and its officials was one of the highest priorities of the \\nCourt’s leadership during the reporting period in the light of the increasing external \\nthreats against the institution, in addition to pre-existing attacks, such as the arrest \\nwarrants issued by the Russian Federation against several judges and the Prosecutor \\nof the Court on account of their performance of their independent mandates as elected \\nofficials of a multilateral judicial institution.  \\n113. On 15 September 2023, the Court detected a cybersecurity incident potentially \\naffecting its systems and data, which was soon confirmed to be a serious and \\nunprecedented cyberattack exhibiting high levels of sophistication, focus, resources \\nand persistence. As a response, the Court commissioned the services of a reputable \\ncommercial vendor to develop a blueprint for its future information technology \\narchitecture. Implementation of the blueprint is under way, with a series of projects \\nto be carried out in the next two years aimed at better protecting the Court’s \\ninformation, personnel and operations in response to a heightened threat environment. \\nThe Registrar also established a special fund for security to provide urgent additional \\nresources for the implementation of high-level priorities set out in the blueprint. \\n \\n \\n \\nIV. Conclusion \\n \\n \\n114. The Court continued to have an extremely high workload in relation to pretrial, \\ntrial and appeal proceedings, reparations for victims and the preliminary examinations \\nand investigations conducted by the Office of the Prosecutor on four continents, with \\na combined total of over 16,000 victims participating in judicial proceedings.  \\n115. Notable developments during the reporting period included the following: one \\naccused person was convicted, and three other trials continued in the courtrooms; a \\njudicially ordered reparations programme was completed for the first time; the Court \\nissued its largest ever reparation order for the benefit of victims; four new arrest \\nwarrants were issued, and one was unsealed; the Prosecutor announced that he had \\napplied for a number of other arrest warrants; and the investigation phase was \\nconcluded in respect of two situations. In addition to the developments described in \\nthe present report, an increasing amount of confidential activity took place before the \\nCourt’s pretrial chambers.  \\n116. The Court recognizes with gratitude the many forms of invaluable assistance \\nprovided by the United Nations system during the reporting period and is equally \\nappreciative of the cooperation of States with its ongoing investigative, prosecutorial \\nand judicial activities.  \\n117. While making unprecedented progress in enforcing international law and \\nadvancing the global fight against impunity, the Court and its officials are being \\nincreasingly subjected to attacks and threats from external actors. The Court’s \\nleadership is gravely concerned about this worrisome trend and calls upon States and \\nthe international community at large to redouble their commitment to the Court and \\nits independence so as to enable it to carry out its mandate of justice effectively.\",\"difficulty\":\"hard\",\"domain\":\"Multi-Document QA\",\"length\":\"short\",\"question\":\"What are the more serious issues facing the courts and their public officials compared to 2023?\",\"sub_domain\":\"Legal\"}","display_format":"text","language":"","answer_status":"published","assets":[],"source_url":"https://huggingface.co/datasets/zai-org/LongBench-v2","history":"initial import","indexing_mode":"noindex","subproblems":[],"grids":[]}