UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 A key U.N. General Assembly committee adopted a resolution late Friday paving the way for negotiations on a first-ever treaty on preventing and punishing crimes against humanity after Russia dropped amendments that would have derailed the effort.
The resolution was approved by consensus by the assembly鈥檚 legal committee, which includes all 193-member U.N. nations, after tense last-minute negotiations between its supporters and Russia that dragged through the day.
There was loud applause when the chairman of the committee gaveled the resolution鈥檚 approval. It is virtually certain to be adopted when the General Assembly puts it to a final vote on Dec. 4.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 agreement to start up negotiations on a much-needed international treaty is an historic achievement that was a long time coming,鈥 Richard Dicker, Human Rights Watch鈥檚 senior legal adviser for advocacy, told The Associated Press.
鈥淚t sends a crucial message that impunity for the kinds of crimes inflicted on civilians in Ethiopia, Sudan, Ukraine, southern Israel, and Myanmar will not go unheeded,鈥 he said.
The resolution calls for a time-bound process with preparatory sessions in 2026 and 2027, and three-week negotiating sessions in 2028 and 2029 to finalize a treaty on crimes against humanity.
Dicker said Russia鈥檚 proposed amendments left in question whether treaty negotiations would have been completed.
Russia鈥檚 deputy U.N. ambassador Maria Zabolotskaya said Russia withdrew the amendments 鈥渋n a spirit of compromise." But she said Russia 鈥渄issociates itself from consensus.鈥
鈥淭his, of course, does not mean that we are not ready to work on this crucial convention,鈥 Zabolotskaya told the committee.
was established to punish major perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and it has 124 countries that are parties to it. are committed as part of a large-scale attack on civilians and it lists 15 forms including murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, sexual slavery, torture and deportation.
But the ICC does not have jurisdiction over nearly 70 other countries.
There are global treaties that cover war crimes, genocide and torture 鈥 but there has been no specific treaty addressing crimes against humanity. And according to sponsors of the resolution, led by Mexico and Gambia and backed by 96 other countries, a new treaty will fill the gap.
Kelly Adams, legal advisor at the Global Justice Center, also called the resolution 鈥渁 historic breakthrough鈥 after many delays.
Pointing to 鈥渢he around the world,鈥 she expressed hope that a treaty will be 鈥渟trong, progressive and survivor-centric.鈥
Amnesty International鈥檚 Secretary General Agnes Callamard expressed disappointment that the timeline had been extended until 2029, but said, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 important is that this process will deliver a viable convention.鈥
鈥淚t is long overdue and all the more welcome at a time when too many states are intent on wrecking international law and universal standards,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t is a clear sign that states are ready to reinforce the international justice framework and clamp down on safe havens from investigation and prosecution for perpetrators of these heinous crimes.鈥
After the resolution鈥檚 adoption, Gambia鈥檚 Counselor Amadou Jaiteh, who had introduced it hours earlier, called its approval 鈥渁 once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a difference,鈥 to hope for a world without crimes against humanity, 鈥渁nd a world where voices of victims are heard louder than their perpetrators.鈥
