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THE HAGUE, June 18, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The swearing in of the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, took place during a public session of the Court on the 16 June 2003. The Ceremony, held at the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace, was presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch and witnessed by the other judges of the Court.  The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, administrated the solemn undertaking by the Prosecutor.  The Prosecutor, one of the most powerful positions on the ICC, retains his post for nine years.  Ocampo was ‘elected’ in April 2003 by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC.  However, LifeSite reported on March 24 that Ocampo had been selected to be prosecutor in a secret meeting of the ICC’s steering committee.  In March 2003, the ICC’s 18 judges took their oaths, and the same day Philippe Kirsch (Canada) was elected President, and Elizabeth Odio Benito (Costa Rica) and Akua Kuenyehia (Ghana) Vice-presidents of the Court. LifeSite reported that all three, Kirsch, Benito and Kuenyehia are pro-abortion.  It is envisaged that the Registrar of the Court will be elected in June 2003 by the Judges.  Once elected, all the principal officers of the Court will be in place for the first time since the Rome Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002.  See related LifeSite coverage:  THREE TOP INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT JUDGES LINKED TO ABORTION MOVEMENT https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/mar/03031201.html LEAD CANDIDATE SELECTED FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PROSECUTOR https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/mar/03032401.html   See statements made at the ceremony by participants:  https://www.icc-cpi.int/otp/docs.php