ICC SETS DATE FOR CONFIRMATION OF CHARGES HEARING FOR EX-IVORIAN PRESIDENT
The International Criminal Court (ICC) said today that a hearing to
determine whether there are sufficient grounds to confirm charges against
Laurent Gbagbo, the former president of Côte d'Ivoire, who stands accused of
crimes against humanity, will begin on 18 June next year.
An ICC pre-trial chamber set the date at Mr. Gbagbo's initial appearance in
the court in The Hague, the Netherlands, where the tribunal is based.
The charges against Mr. Gbagbo, 66, are connected to the bloody
election-related violence that erupted in Côte d'Ivoire nearly a year ago.
He was surrendered to the ICC last week by Ivorian authorities.
At today's
<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/8CF19660-F74A-4E45-9168-48512639E6F4.htm"
>hearing, in the presence of representatives from both the prosecution and
the defence, the court verified the identity of Mr. Gbagbo and ensured that
he was clearly informed of the charges brought against him and of his rights
under the treaty that established the ICC.
A confirmation of charges hearing is held to determine whether there is
sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the
accused committed each of the crimes charged. If the charges are confirmed,
the pre-trial chamber commits the case for trial before a trial chamber.
Mr. Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect
co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder,
rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts,
committed in Côte d'Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April this year.
In early October, the ICC authorized prosecutors to probe alleged abuses
committed during the bloody unrest in Côte d'Ivoire, which erupted when Mr.
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.
According to sources quoted by the prosecution in its application, at least
3,000 people were killed, 72 disappeared and 520 others were subject to
arbitrary arrest and detentions during the post-election violence.
The pre-trial chamber has found that there are reasonable grounds to believe
that in the aftermath of the presidential elections, pro-Gbagbo forces
attacked civilians in the commercial capital, Abidjan, and in the country's
west, targeting people they believed were supporters of the rival
presidential candidate.
The attacks were allegedly committed pursuant to an organizational policy
and were also widespread and systematic as they were carried out over an
extended period, in large geographic areas, and following a similar general
pattern. The raids were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or
religious communities.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) said today that a hearing to
determine whether there are sufficient grounds to confirm charges against
Laurent Gbagbo, the former president of Côte d'Ivoire, who stands accused of
crimes against humanity, will begin on 18 June next year.
An ICC pre-trial chamber set the date at Mr. Gbagbo's initial appearance in
the court in The Hague, the Netherlands, where the tribunal is based.
The charges against Mr. Gbagbo, 66, are connected to the bloody
election-related violence that erupted in Côte d'Ivoire nearly a year ago.
He was surrendered to the ICC last week by Ivorian authorities.
At today's
<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/exeres/8CF19660-F74A-4E45-9168-48512639E6F4.htm"
>hearing, in the presence of representatives from both the prosecution and
the defence, the court verified the identity of Mr. Gbagbo and ensured that
he was clearly informed of the charges brought against him and of his rights
under the treaty that established the ICC.
A confirmation of charges hearing is held to determine whether there is
sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the
accused committed each of the crimes charged. If the charges are confirmed,
the pre-trial chamber commits the case for trial before a trial chamber.
Mr. Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect
co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder,
rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts,
committed in Côte d'Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April this year.
In early October, the ICC authorized prosecutors to probe alleged abuses
committed during the bloody unrest in Côte d'Ivoire, which erupted when Mr.
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.
According to sources quoted by the prosecution in its application, at least
3,000 people were killed, 72 disappeared and 520 others were subject to
arbitrary arrest and detentions during the post-election violence.
The pre-trial chamber has found that there are reasonable grounds to believe
that in the aftermath of the presidential elections, pro-Gbagbo forces
attacked civilians in the commercial capital, Abidjan, and in the country's
west, targeting people they believed were supporters of the rival
presidential candidate.
The attacks were allegedly committed pursuant to an organizational policy
and were also widespread and systematic as they were carried out over an
extended period, in large geographic areas, and following a similar general
pattern. The raids were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or
religious communities.
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