Sri Lanka’s Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera reiterated that Sri Lanka is not within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court
Writing in the Daily Mirror Mr Mangala Samaraweera said,
“In simple terms the ICC cannot investigate or prosecute crimes committed on the territory of a state, or by a national of a state, which is not a State Party to the Statute of the ICC. As noted above Sri Lanka is not a Party to the Statute of the ICC and as such the ICC does not have jurisdiction in terms of its own Statute over any crime committed on the territory of Sri Lanka or by a Sri Lankan national, unless a Sri Lankan national commits a crime on the territory of a State, which is a Party to the Statute.”
Mr Samaraweera added that even if Sri Lanka did eventually sign the Rome Statute and fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC “It is also of value to note that the ICC does not have retroactive jurisdiction to try past crimes even in respect of State Parties.”
The remarks were made in response to comments made by Professor GL Peiris alleging the new government was attempting to submit Sri Lanka to the jurisdiction of the ICC. See more here.