Eurojust works closely with Europol & Interpol to tackle human trafficking and crimes against children

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: Good news. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has joined hands with EUROPOL. 

Note that EUROJUST works closely with EUROPOL and INTERPOL to tackle human trafficking and crimes against children. 

Let's hope the ICC receives verifiable evidence of the arming and training of children as soldiers to fight in Sudan and elsewhere. On its website the ICC states that it is a war crime to use children as child soldiers. 

This weblog Sudan Watch has a database containing thousands of reports of child soldiers used by Sudanese rebel groups and the LRA. Being a child soldier risks their health and life, ruins their brains, education and future.

If anyone in the media sees and collates verifiable news and/or photos of child soldiers in Sudan for submission to the ICC they'd be doing the ICC, Sudan, South Sudan, and all former and current child soldiers, a favour. 

Further reading

From the website of the International Criminal Court (ICC):

“Third, war crimes which are grave breaches of the Geneva conventions in the context of armed conflict and include, for instance, the use of child soldiers; the killing or torture of persons such as civilians or prisoners of war; intentionally directing attacks against hospitals, historic monuments, or buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes.”

View original: https://www.icc-cpi.int/about/how-the-court-works

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From the website of EUROPOL:

In general, Europol cooperates with states and other entities outside the EU based on operational agreements, strategic agreements and working arrangements.

The ICC is the first permanent, treaty-based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. 

Europol is the European Union’s Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation. It serves as the centre for law enforcement cooperation, analytical expertise and criminal intelligence in Europe.

On 25 April 2023, judge Piotr Hofmański, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said:

“I look forward to the enhanced cooperation and interaction which will take place under this Working Arrangement. Europol’s expertise and specialist knowledge is world-leading and the ICC is fortunate to be able to benefit from it. I am confident that the strengthened relationship between the ICC and Europol can enhance the capacity of both our organisations to discharge their respective mandates aimed at ensuring that serious crimes do not go unpunished.”

View original: https://www.europol.europa.eu/partners-collaboration

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From the website of INTERPOL:

We support investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The issues

Crimes such as genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes are of serious concern to the international community.

As well as the devastating effect on families concerned, these crimes have a lasting, destabilizing impact on the safety and security of communities, nations and regions for decades after they occur. 

Investigation and prosecution of these crimes are central to our common fight against impunity. […]

“INTERPOL, as a global player, can be a key partner in helping international tribunals and national authorities in having fugitives arrested. -Serge Brammertz, Chief Prosecutor for the UN International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

View original: https://www.interpol.int/Crimes/War-crimes

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From the website of EUROJUST - excerpts: 

Since its establishment, Eurojust has played an active role in tackling crimes against children in close cooperation with agencies such as Europol and Interpol. By facilitating effective cross-border coordination and cooperation between States, the Agency helps national authorities to detect potential cross-border links between cases, improve the flow of information, and exchange relevant information with a view to identify and prosecute offenders.

Trafficking in human beings

Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a serious and fast-growing crime area that affects millions of innocent people around the world and involves the severe violation of fundamental human rights. Human traffickers control and exploit vulnerable victims and make use of threats, force, fraud, deception or abduction. Traffickers predominantly capitalise on sexual and labour exploitation, often targeting individuals with limited education or financial means.

The fight of the national authorities against THB can greatly benefit from the unique structure of Eurojust. Since each participating EU Member State has a National Member at Eurojust, the Agency is able to effectively coordinate parallel investigations in several countries where victims are recruited, exploited and transported through or moved.

View original: https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/crime-types-and-cases/crime-types/trafficking-human-beings

Crimes against children

Crimes against children include, inter alia, the sexual abuse of children, the trafficking of children and crimes concerning child abuse images on the Internet. Eurojust plays an active role in tackling this growing and particularly heinous form of crime, by enabling efficient cross-border coordination between different States. The Agency supports judicial authorities in detecting links with cases in other countries and facilitates cooperation among the respective authorities with a view to prevent further victimisation of children and to identify and prosecute offenders. A Contact Point for Child Protection is appointed by Eurojust to act as a focal point for its efforts in this field.

View original: https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/crime-types-and-cases/crime-types/crimes-against-children

Eurojust @Eurojust on Twitter https://twitter.com/Eurojust

European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation

The EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, giving hands-on support to prosecutors in the fight against serious cross-border crime

Eurojust • P.O. Box 16183
2500 BD The Hague • The Netherlands
+31 70 412 5000

Source: Website https://www.eurojust.europa.eu

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