ICC Chamber Dismisses Reconsideration Requests Regarding Afghanistan [1]
On November 8, 2021, Pre-trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) rendered its decision [3] on the requests for reconsideration or for Leave to Appeal regarding the Decision regarding the applications related to the Prosecutor’s ‘Notification on status of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s article 18(2) deferral request’ [4] of September 3, 2021. The Chamber noted that it had previously dismissed as a preliminary matter the First, Second, and Third Applicants’ requests for Leave to Appeal because of a lack of standing and that that holding applies equally in the context of the present request for reconsideration. The decision is the latest development in the investigation into “alleged crimes committed on the territory of Afghanistan,” authorized by the Appeals Chamber on March 5, 2020 [5].