The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | Once a champion of the International Criminal Court (ICC), South Africa dealt a blow to the world tribunal Friday by announcing its intention to withdraw, a move that came on the heels of a similar move by Burundi. Here are five key questions following …
Read More »South Africa’s withdrawal rocks International Criminal Court
Pretoria, South Africa | AFP | South Africa announced Friday that it is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, dealing a major blow to a troubled institution set up to try the world’s worst crimes. South Africa’s decision followed a dispute last year when Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited the …
Read More »Bemba, aides guilty of bribery during ICC war crimes trial
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | International judges on Wednesday found former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba and four close aides guilty of bribing and corrupting witnesses in a bid to derail his landmark war crimes trial. The case was “about the clear, and downright criminal behaviour of the five …
Read More »Burundi set to quit ICC as president promulgates law
Bujumbura, Burundi | AFP | President Pierre Nkurunziza on Tuesday signed legislation enabling Burundi to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). A copy of the law seen by AFP and dated October 18 allows “the Republic of Burundi’s withdrawal from the Rome statute”, the ICC’s founding treaty. The next …
Read More »How much is child soldier’s lost youth worth? ICC asks
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | “How do you calculate a lost childhood?” That was the question Tuesday before war crimes judges trying to set the amount of landmark reparations to be paid to former Congolese child soldiers. After years of hearings, trials and appeals before the International Criminal Court …
Read More »Burundi wants to quit ICC to avoid possible charges
Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi announced plans Friday to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a week after the UN began an enquiry into human rights abuses committed since April 2015. “It is perfectly clear that this is a plot to do harm to Burundi,” said Gaston …
Read More »ICC announces visit to Israel, Palestinian territories
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | A delegation from the world’s only permanent war crimes court is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories this week, the chief prosecutor said Wednesday, against the backdrop of a probe into the 2014 Gaza war. The trip from Wednesday until October 10 will be …
Read More »ICC prosecutor opening initial probe into Gabon unrest
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Thursday she was opening an initial probe into deadly unrest in Gabon sparked by disputed elections. The government of Gabon had asked the court to open an investigation “without delay” accusing supporters of opposition leader …
Read More »Malian jihadist jailed for 9 years for Timbuktu attacks
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | War crimes judges Tuesday found a Malian jihadist guilty of destroying Timbuktu’s fabled shrines, and were set to pass sentence amid hopes the court will send a strong message to help safeguard the world’s ancient monuments. A three-judge bench began handing down its judgements …
Read More »ICC: Kenya failed obligation to aid in Kenyatta probe
The Hague, Netherlands | AFP | Kenya failed to work with the International Criminal Court in its probe over post-election violence against President Uhuru Kenyatta, the tribunal said Monday, some 18 months after the case spectacularly collapsed. “The Republic of Kenya had failed to comply with its obligations to cooperate …
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