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A Public Address by Luis Moreno-Ocampo
A Public Address by Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
Biography: On 21 April 2003, the Assemby of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, meeting in its second resumed first session, unanimously elected Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo of Argentina as first Prosecutor of the Court. Between 1984-92, as a Prosecutor in Argentina, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo was involved in precedent-setting prosecutions of top military commanders for mass killings and other large-scale human rights abuses.
He was the Assistant Prosecutor in the “Military Junta” trial against Army commanders accused of masterminding the “dirty war”, and other cases of human rights violations by the Argentine military. Mr. Moreno-Ocampo was the Prosecutor in charge of the extradition from the United States of former Argentine General Carlos Guillermo Suárez Mason, and in the investigation and prosecution of guerrilla leaders and of those responsible for two military rebellions in Argentina. He also took part in the case against Army commanders accused of malpractice during the Malvinas/Falklands war, as well as in dozens of major cases of corruption.
As the first case brought against top commanders responsible for mass killings since the Nuremberg Trial, the 1984-85 “Military Junta” trial involved 9 senior commanders, including 3 former heads of state, from the ranks of Army officials who ruled Argentina between 1976 and 1983. On the recomendation of a report produced by the Truth Commision established in Argentina in 1984, eight months of judicial investigation resulted in the Prosecutors presenting 700 cases of “murder, kidnapping and torture” as a sample of thousands of alleged crimes, calling 835 witnesses and citing thousands of documents. After 6 months of public hearing, on December 8, 1985 a panel of six judges convicted 5 of the accused.
In 1992, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo resigned as Prosecutor of the Federal Criminal Court of Buenos Aires, and established a private law firm, Moreno-Ocampo & Wortman Jofre, which specializes in corruption control programs for large firms and organisations, criminal and human rights law. Until his election as Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo worked as lawyer and as Private Inspector General for large companies. He also took on a number of pro bono activities, among others as legal representative for the victims in the extradition of former Nazi officer Erich Priebke to Italy, the trial of the chief of the Chilean secret police for the murder of General Carlos Prats, and several cases concerning political bribery, journalists’ protection and freedom of expression.
Mr. Moreno-Ocampo also worked with various local, regional and international NGO’s. He was the president of Transparency International for Latin America and the Caribbean. He has served as on the global Advisory Board and the Board of Transparency International, a world-wide organisation whose aim is to reduce corruption in business transactions. The founder and president of Poder Ciudadano, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo also served as member of the Advisory Board of the “Project on Justice in times of transition” and “New Tactics on Human Rights.”
Mr. Moreno-Ocampo has been a visiting professor at both Stanford University and Harvard University.
Mr. Moreno-Ocampo has taken office on 16 June 2003 by pledging his solemn undertaking as required by article 45 of the Rome Statute. As Prosecutor, he will assume full authority over the management and administration of the Office, including the staff, facilities and other resources thereof. For a full curriculum vitae of the Prosecutor, please click here.