A delegation from the International Criminal Court (ICC), led by Rod Rastan, Head of the Court Cooperation Support Unit, paid a working visit to Ulaanbaatar from September 22 to 25. During the visit, the delegation held bilateral meetings with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General’s Office. It also conducted training sessions for officials of the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs, the National Police Agency and the General Executive Agency of Court Decision Enforcement. In addition, the delegation held a joint seminar with students, faculty members and researchers of the School of Law at the National University of Mongolia.
Supreme Court Judge and Presiding Judge of the Criminal Chamber Ch.Khosbayar and Judge B.Battseren met with Rod Rastan, Head of ICC’s Court Cooperation Support Unit, and Rufina Khusniyarova, an officer responsible for court cooperation within the unit. The sides discussed potential areas of cooperation between the ICC and Mongolia in the short and medium term, as well as opportunities for sharing experience and expertise.
Judge Ch.Khosbayar emphasized that the Supreme Court of Mongolia has consistently taken a leading role in cooperation with ICC and encouraged other state institutions to strengthen their cooperation with the Court. He highlighted the importance of expanding exchanges of experience between courts, organizing regular training sessions and seminars, identifying solutions to cooperation-related challenges arising in criminal proceedings, and strengthening knowledge of international courts and international law. The meeting also underscored the importance of strengthening Mongolia’s domestic legal mechanisms, procedures and regulatory framework necessary for cooperation with ICC in accordance with the Rome Statute.
The sides further exchanged views on developing direct communication and experience-sharing between national courts, raising public awareness of international criminal justice, and incorporating more international law content into legal and judicial education programmes. Rod Rastan highlighted the contributions of Mongolian judges and judicial officials who have worked at ICC, as well as the diplomatic and political support provided by Mongolia to the Court and their contribution to the development of international criminal law. He said that strengthening relations with Mongolia and the Supreme Court was among the key objectives of his visit.
During the meeting, Judge B.Battseren emphasized the importance of involving ICC experts in training and other events organized in Mongolia and expanding cooperation and experience-sharing in areas including witness protection, evidence, digital technologies, transnational crime, money laundering and asset freezing. Representatives of ICC’s Court Cooperation Support Unit expressed support for opportunities to include Mongolian legal professionals in the Court’s Visiting Professional Programme and other relevant programmes. The sides also agreed that the areas proposed by Judge B.Battseren could make a significant contribution to expanding cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
