The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is deeply saddened by the passing, on Sunday 19 April 2020, of Mr. Felipe Michelini, and would like to extend his family our deepest condolences over the loss of this extraordinary individual.

Mr. Michelini made an indisputable contribution to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Rome Statute system. As a Member of Parliament in Uruguay, where he served for over two decades, Mr. Michelini spearheaded one of the strongest legislations on ICC implementation across the globe, and, as Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action and Chair of the International Law and Human Rights Program, took his experience and enthusiasm across Latin America, working along parliamentarians and civil society across the region to assist states in their tasks of ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute, APIC, Kampala amendments, among other ICC-related objectives. In addition, in 2015, Mr. Michelini was elected as Member of the Board of Directors of the ICC’s Trust Fund for Victims, which he had been chairing since 2018, serving with the excellence, dedication, and empathy that always characterized him.

His outstanding legal, diplomatic and negotiation skills were only superseded by his generous heart and his unique personality, which lead him to build bridges across different political spectrums and among diverse actors, including civil society across the globe. We join our worldwide membership in honoring his extraordinary life and contributions, and are committed to continuing his legacy in our unfettered defense of justice and human rights.

Messages from Civil Society and States