Gambian Fatou Bensouda, to replace Moreno Ocampo as ICC chief prosecutor

Luis Moreno-Ocampo (l) Fatou Bensouda (r)

International Criminal Court (ICC) countries agreed to nominate Fatou Bensouda of Gambia, as chief prosecutor for the main war crimes tribunal, diplomats said. Ms. Bensouda will be officially confirmed on December 12.

Ms. Bensouda, 50, is deputy to the current chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who must stand down next year at the end of his nine year term. Moreno-Ocampo the first ICC prosecutor has become a high profile hunter of heads of state and militia leaders accused of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Critics have often accused the ICC of targeting only African leaders in its crusade against human rights violations and crimes against humanity. The list includes former Liberia President Charles Taylor, Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and former Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) President Laurent Gbagbo.

Observers say a chief prosecutor from Africa could inoculate the ICC from criticisms that it only targets leaders from the continent.

Liechtenstein’s UN Ambassador Christian Wenaweser expressed support for Bensouda as chief prosecutor.

“I think it is very good to have somebody from the African region,” said Wenaweser. “Africa is the strongest constituency in the ICC, the largest number of state parties do come from there. And we have a lot of qualified judges from Africa so I think it is very welcome to have a prosecutor from Africa.

“The announcement caps a lengthy and rigorous search process and we understand the decision reflects consensus among ICC states parties,” said Param Preet Singh, Human Rights Watch‘s senior international counsel who has closely followed the selection.