Bolivia: The Chamber of Deputies must reject US impunity agreement

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE


AI Index: AMR 18/003/2004 (Public)
News Service No: 127
19 May 2004


Bolivia: The Chamber of Deputies must reject US impunity agreement
No one should enjoy impunity for the worst crimes known to humanity, Amnesty International said today, in the wake of the Senate's approval of an impunity agreement with the USA on the International Criminal Court. It is now up to the Chamber of Deputies to ensure that this agreement is stopped.

In a letter sent to the Chamber, Amnesty International urged the Bolivian authorities to uphold Bolivia's obligations as a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court by opposing the ratification of this unlawful agreement.

Bolivia signed an impunity agreement with the USA in May 2003. Last Wednesday, the Senate approved this agreement, which would commit the government of Bolivia not to surrender US nationals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes to the new International Criminal Court (ICC).

"These agreements are illegal as they violate Bolivia's duty to cooperate with the International Criminal Court and the obligations of all states to ensure that people responsible for these crimes, as the most serious crimes under international law, are brought to justice," Amnesty International stressed.

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http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=80256DD400782B8480256E9800410E5E