History
On September 3, 2003, Georgia became the member state of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court. On October 20, 2003, by the initiative of the NGO – International Center on Conflict and Negotiation – the representatives of the civil society of Georgia started to discuss the need of establishing national coalition in support of International Criminal Court. Later, after almost one-year preparatory work, the action plan was elaborated and in June 2004, by seven Georgian NGOs, a national coalition was created under the name “Georgian Coalition for International Criminal Court”.
The founding organizations of the Georgian Coalition for International Criminal Court were: Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC), Association for Council of Europe (ACE), Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD), Article 42 of Constitution (Article 42 of the Constitution), International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN), Georgian Center for International Criminal Law (GCICL) and Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA).
The work of the Coalition was regulated by its statute which determined the work, membership and general rules of management of the coalition.
In 2005, by the support of World Federalist Movement (WFM-CICC (WORLD FEDERALIST MOVEMENT), the work was conducted for creation of South Caucasus Coalition for International Criminal Court which aimed to promote the ratification and implementation of Rome Statute in Azerbaijan and Armenia.
On April 5-6, 2006, the international conference “International Criminal Court: Perspectives in South Caucasus” was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. By signing the memorandum for cooperation, the representatives of civil society from Georgia and Azerbaijan expressed their support for International Criminal Court in the region.
On April 3, 2006, the members of Georgian Coalition for International Criminal Court held press conference regarding the topic: “International Criminal Court as international legal mechanism for investigating crimes committed in Abkhazia”. The Coalition responded to information according to which the former Minister of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, the head of the movement “Chven Tviton” (We independently), presented information to the Office of Prosecutor (OTP) of ICC regarding the crimes committed in Abkhazia. The Georgian Coalition supported the request of opening of investigation into the crimes allegedly committed in Abkhazia.
The Chair Organizations of Georgian Coalition:
2004-2010 – International Center on Conflict and Negotiation
2010-2017 – Georgian Young Lawyers Association
2017-2019 – Human Rights Center
From October 2019 till today – Georgian Young Lawyers Association
Today the Coalition unites following organizations: Human Rights Priority, Human Rights Center, Article 42 of Constitution, International Center on Conflict and Negotiation, Justice International, Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Georgian Center for Psycho-social and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims.
