Above: Grenada Ambassador Stephen Fletcher and ICC President Sang-Hyun Song (UN Photo)

Three months after Grenada deposited its instrument of accession to the Rome Statute, the country joined the International Criminal as a new state party.

The domestic Grenadian statute implementing the Rome Statute took effect in the country Aug. 1, according to the ICC.

“Each state that joins the ICC sends out a powerful message that it does not tolerate genocide, crimes against humanity or the other atrocious offences listed in the Statute, and it will not provide refuge to those suspected of such crimes,” said Sang-Hyun Song, the president of the ICC.

Song was joined by Grenadian Ambassador Stephen Fletcher in The Hague, Netherlands.

“After 300 years as a colony, an overthrow of the government, an invasion in the mid-’80s and a full restoration of democracy to follow, Grenada has come out as a strong and independent State of the Caribbean Community,” said Jorge Lomonaco, vice president of the Assembly of States Parties and Ambassador of Mexico.