MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands joins International Association of Prosecutors

IAP was established in 1995 with the support from United Nations

The Falkland Islands Government legal department has been granted organisational membership of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP). Membership is considered a recognition that rule of the law and independence of prosecution in that country complies with internationally accepted standards.

The Attorney General fulfils the function in the Falkland Islands of Director of Public Prosecutions, and his or her independence from executive control is guaranteed by the 2008 Constitution.

The IAP is the only world wide association of Prosecutors and was established in 1995 with the support of the United Nations. There are currently over 130 organisational members from all regions of the World. Its main purpose is to develop cooperation between prosecutors to enable offenders to be brought to justice more effectively whilst promoting the implementation of universal standards for the Rule of Law.

Argentina is an organisational member, and recently hosted the IAP Latin American Regional Conference in Buenos Aires.

Attorney General David Pickup, who is also responsible for the operation of the Falkland Islands’ Registry and the regulation of statutory monopolies, said: “I am delighted that the Attorney Generals Chambers has been granted membership of the IAP. Chambers is committed to delivering a high quality prosecution service within the Falkland Islands which brings offenders to justice, helps reduce crime, and promotes public confidence in the rule of law. The IAP with its emphasis on the promotion of effective, fair and impartial prosecutions and the promotion of standards and principles which are necessary for the proper and independent prosecution of offences fits very well with what we are committed to achieving in the Falkland Islands, and the opportunity of working with the IAP and with prosecutors worldwide is something we are really looking forward to.”

Member of Legislative Assembly Dick Sawle, whose portfolio responsibilities include the work of the Attorney General’s Chambers, welcomed the news, saying: “This demonstrates that the International Association of Prosecutors has recognised that the rule of law in the Falkland Islands complies with internationally accepted standards – standards which have stood up to rigorous tests of quality and law as applied to a plethora of other countries around the world. This type of recognition or quality assurance is important to a country which is so much smaller in terms of resources than all of the others in the Association.”