Tunisian becomes first Arab judge elected to the International Criminal Court
Dr Haikal Ben Mahfouz, a professor of public international law has made history as the first-ever Arab to be elected to the position of judge at the International Criminal Court.
Dr Mahfouz was elected on December 6 during the 22nd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute establishing the Court.
The event which happened in New York makes the Tunisian citizen the first Arab judge to have worked with the prestigious court since the beginning of its establishment in 2002.
Dr Mahfouz will play his role in the position for 9 years from 2024 to 2033, according to local news outlet Babnet.
The ICC is an international judicial body that was formed by a multilateral treaty called the Rome Statute. The ICC, which is independent of the United Nations, is based in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The ICC's 18 judges are elected by the Assembly of States Parties for their qualifications, impartiality and integrity, and serve 9-year, non-renewable terms.
They ensure fair trials and render decisions, but also issue arrest warrants or summonses to appear, authorize victims to participate, order witness protection measures, and more. They also elect, from among themselves, the ICC President and two vice presidents who head the Court.
