LThe Voice of the People Party, a prominent political group in Libya, has strongly condemned the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to establish an official presence in the North African nation.
In a statement released on Saturday, the party voiced its vehement opposition to the ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s recent briefing to the UN Security Council, where he unveiled plans for the Court to open an office in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
The Voice of the People Party calls this move a “flagrant interference” in Libya’s sovereignty and an overreach of the ICC’s mandate, as Libya is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the Court’s jurisdiction.
“We urge the Supreme Judicial Council and the Attorney General to uphold their historical, national, and legal duties by clearly informing the ICC that Libya does not recognize its authority or rulings,” the statement read.
The party drew parallels with the recent US threat of sanctions against the ICC over its investigations into alleged war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza, calling it “conclusive evidence” of the Court’s politicization and bias against developing nations.
Vowing to resist the ICC’s attempted intervention through all available means, the Voice of the People accused the Hague-based tribunal of exclusively “targeting Third World countries” while giving powers like the US a free pass.