AFRICA GROUP FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

ARUSHA, TANZANIA
17 October 2016

Africa Group for Justice and Accountability is deeply concerned by and calls for further
engagement on Burundi decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court
The Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA) expresses its profound disappointment and concern at
the government of Burundis decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Africa Group views the move as an potential obstacle to achieving accountability for crimes committed in
Burundi. This decision deprives the victims of human rights violations in the country a recourse to justice.
The Africa Group strongly urges President Pierre Nkurunziza to use his good offices, and along with his government,
reconfirm Burundis commitment to the human rights of the people of Burundi and to the Rome Statute.
We call upon the government to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the ICC. The Group would also encourage
other member-states of the ICC to work with the Burundi government to retain its membership in this very important
mechanism for fighting impunity, and defending justice and human rights.
The people of Africa and the African Union embrace the principle of accountability for international crimes as
exemplified by the recent trial, conviction and punishment in Senegal of Hissne Habr for crimes committed in
Chad. The AGJA therefore urges the government of Burundi to continue to support this noble ideal.
In line with its Kilimanjaro Principles, the Africa Group offers its expertise in facilitation and mediation to Burundi, the
ICC, and other relevant actors to ensure that justice for the victims of crimes in Burundi is not sacrificed.

The members of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability:

Dapo Akande (Nigeria)
Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford
Femi Falana (Nigeria)
Human rights activist and lawyer
Hassan Bubacar Jallow (Gambia)
Former Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International
Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
Richard Goldstone (South Africa)
Former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for
Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia
Tiyanjana Maluwa (Malawi)
H. Laddie Montague Chair in Law, Pennsylvania State University School of Law
Athaliah Molokomme (Botswana)
Attorney General of Botswana
Betty Kaari Murungi (Kenya)
Independent Consultant on Human Rights and Transitional Justice
Mohamed Chande Othman (Tanzania)
Chief Justice of Tanzania
Navi Pillay (South Africa)
Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic)
Former Transitional President of the Central African Republic
Fatiha Serour (Algeria)
Director of Serour Associates for Inclusion and Equity
Abdul Tejan-Cole (Sierra Leone)
Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa

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