ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS AUTHORIZATION TO PROBE CÔTE D'IVOIRE POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

Subject: ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS AUTHORIZATION TO PROBE CÔTE D'IVOIRE
POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

ICC PROSECUTOR SEEKS AUTHORIZATION TO PROBE CÔTE D'IVOIRE POST-ELECTION
VIOLENCE
New York, Jun 23 2011 12:10PM
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has
<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/F9AF01D6-28E5-4533-9398-3F4B616BB7DB.htm"
>requested authorization to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes
against humanity allegedly committed in Côte d'Ivoire following the
presidential run-off held last November.

At least 3,000 persons were killed, 72 persons disappeared and 520 persons
were subject to arbitrary arrest and detentions in Côte d'Ivoire during the
post-election violence, according to the sources quoted by the Prosecution
in its application.

There are also over 100 reported cases of rape, while the number of
unreported incidents is believed to be considerably higher, a news release
issued by the Court stated.

The violence erupted when former president Laurent Gbagbo refused to step
down after he lost the United Nations-certified election to Alassane
Ouattara, who was eventually sworn in after Mr. Gbagbo surrendered in April.

If the judges grant the Prosecutor's request, it will be the first time the
ICC, which is based in The Hague, opens a case in a State that is not party
to the Rome Statute, which set up the Court.

Côte d'Ivoire has, however, accepted the jurisdiction of the Court, and Mr.
Ouattara sent a letter urging the Prosecution to open the investigation. He
is also working closely with the Economic Community of West African States
(<"http://www.ecowas.int/">ECOWAS) to make sure that crimes committed in the
West African nation do not go unpunished.

All ICC investigations so far related to crimes committed on the territory
of States parties to the Rome Statute, or were carried out following a
referral from the Security Council.

If authorized, Côte d'Ivoire will be the seventh investigation in Africa for
the ICC, in addition to the Central African Republic (CAR), Darfur, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Kenya and Libya.

Regarding Libya, the ICC announced today that it is scheduled to render its
decision on 27 June in relation to the Prosecution's application for the
issuance of three arrest warrants for Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi, one of his
sons, Saif al-Qadhafi, and the head of the country's intelligence forces,
Abdullah al-Senussi, for alleged crimes against humanity committed during
the ongoing conflict in the North African nation.