Further to the recent appointments of twenty Special Advisers (see here and here), the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”), Mr Karim A.A. Khan QC, has appointed Mr Yoshimitsu Yamauchi of Japan (Bio) to serve as Special Adviser on Mutual Legal Assistance pursuant to article 42.9 of the Rome Statute.
This new appointment, in line with past indications by the Prosecutor, is aimed at creating a network of experts representing different regions of the world with cultural, linguistic, and gender diversity, with specific portfolios and expertise to reinforce the Office of the Prosecutor’s capabilities to effectively and efficiently discharge its mandate under the Statute, and to strengthen specialisation on a wide range of issues and priority areas identified by the Prosecutor.
“Mutual legal assistance is the cornerstone of the Rome Statute system and crucial to fostering complementarity and the effective delivery of the Court’s mandate. I am therefore delighted that such a prominent expert from Japan has joined the group of experts who have accepted to serve as my Special Advisers. I am very pleased to welcome Mr Yamauchi and to have him join my team, and look forward to benefit from the valuable experience he has amassed in advancing mutual legal assistance in various countries around the world. His rich expertise and the perspectives he will bring to the table will undoubtedly assist me and my Office as we endeavour to increase our effectiveness and harness the dividends of deeper cooperation and partnerships with States in the fight against impunity for atrocity crimes”, stated the Prosecutor.
Special Advisers to the Prosecutor are persons with outstanding professional credentials and expertise in their fields. They provide advice to the Prosecutor within their respective mandates as Special Advisers and may assist in training initiatives of the Office. They work on a pro bono basis and are required to sign a confidentiality agreement and are bound by the ‘Standards of Conduct’ stipulated in, inter alia, Annex I to Administrative Instruction ICC/AI/2016/002.