Acting Georgian Justice Minister Elected as Int’l Criminal Court Judge

Acting Justice Minister Gocha Lortkipanidze has become the first-ever candidate from Georgia elected as the Hague-based International Criminal Court Judge on December 18.

Lortkipanidze, 56, was elected to the 18-member Court for a nine-year tenure by the 19th Assembly of States Parties (ASP). Georgia put forward his candidacy for the position in late March.

The news comes as Lortkipanidze was named yesterday to become Justice Minister in the new old cabinet of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

The newly elected ICC judge held the position of Deputy Justice Minister since 2012, and since October was elevated as Justice Minister, as Minister Tea Tsulukiani left to join parliamentary election campaign to become Georgian Dream party lawmaker.

Trained in Essex and Harvard Law Schools, Lortkipanidze’s earlier work experiences include serving as Adviser to the Prime Minister in international law and foreign affairs in 2005-09.

Along with Lortkipanidze, Joanna Korner from the United Kingdom has been elected as the ICC judge. Four other vacancies are expected to be filled as the Assembly continues elections on December 21.

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