Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Accepted
Utilise International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission to establish IHL breaches and recommend its services.
Recommendation
Specifically, we recommend that the UK makes better use of the good offices of the International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission as part of its process of establishing whether IHL has been broken in specific cases. It should also be actively recommending these services to others. (Recommendation, Paragraph 56)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees, stating it recognises the IHFFC as an important mechanism and, while it hasn't used it in specific past contexts, it will consider its use where appropriate and will promote the use of the IHFFC.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Agree 59. The UK is a strong supporter of efforts to establish the facts, truth and preserve evidence of breaches of IHL, including through UN mechanisms. We support the work of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel and have pledged financial support to the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Ukraine. We continue to support a wide range of UN investigative mechanisms for other contexts and welcome those that are transparent, impartial and independent. 60. The UK’s commitment to the preservation of evidence includes funding for the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) for Syria, the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) in Iraq, and the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Libya. The UK is also a long-standing funder of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its investigative efforts, as well as providing additional voluntary contributions to support the ICC’s Ukraine response. 61. The UK is a signatory to the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the 1949 Geneva Conventions (AP1) and has made a declaration recognising the competence of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (IHFFC). The UK continues to recognise the IHFFC as an important mechanism to establish facts concerning alleged grave breaches and other serious violations of IHL. 62. The UK has considered the use of the IHFFC in specific contexts but has concluded that it has not been appropriate to activate the IHFFC in those situations. However, we continue to believe it is a valuable tool and would consider its use where appropriate and in consultation with our partners. The UK will promote the use of the IHFFC where appropriate.