Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will call on the government of Iraq to ratify the statutes of the International Criminal Court.

The UK is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the principle of universality. We have consistently raised Iraq’s responsibility to observe international laws and obligations in our contacts with Human Rights interlocutors within the Government of Iraq. The UK has not, to date, made representations to the new Government of Iraq in regards to accession to the Rome Statute or accepting ICC jurisdiction in relation to the current situation in the country. Any decision to involve the ICC in the situation in Iraq must be made on the basis of whether the court would prove an effective means of bringing the perpetrators of atrocities to justice. We will use our ongoing dialogue with the Government of Iraq to explore all available options for ensuring accountability.

We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Iraq and the threat from the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We welcome Prime Minister al-Abadi’s commitments to inclusivity, to protecting Iraqi citizens, addressing human rights abuses and holding those responsible to account, and look forward to these commitments being translated into action.