Le Bureau du Procureur

The Office of the Prosecutor

OTPWeeklyBriefing

NEWS Issue#115 16to26March 2012 ReactionstothefirstverdictoftheICC

Reactionsfollowing Lubangaverdict

14MarchFollowingthehistoricissuanceofthefirstICCverdictinthecaseagainst Thomas Lubanga, several actors issued statements. The UN Security Council President Mark Lyall Grant (UK) stressed: War crimes involving the most vulnerable AlSenussiarrestedin membersofsociety,suchaschildren,areofparticularconcernandthisverdictisanimportant Mauritania step towards ensuring that those responsible for such crimes are held accountable. The members of the Security Council reaffirm their strong opposition to impunity for the most seriouscrimesofinternationalconcern. Ambassador Wittig, Chair of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, stated: Todays verdictishistoric.ThomasLubangaisfoundguiltyofhavingcommittedwarcrimes.Oneoftheperpetratorsofgraveviolationsagainst childrensrightsisfinallybroughttojustice.Thewheelsofinternationaljusticemaybemovingslow,butinthelongrunjusticewillbe establishedandimpunitywontprevail.ThisisamessagewellbeyondLubangascase:allthosewhoperpetrateactsofgraveviolations againstchildrensrightswontgounpunished. The Special Representative of the UN SecretaryGeneral for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy emphasized:Today,impunityendsforThomasLubangaandthosewhorecruitandusechildreninarmedconflict.Inthisageofglobal media,todaysverdictwillreachwarlordsandcommandersacrosstheworldandserveasastrongdeterrent.Inparalleltotheverdict, theSRSGwasinJubafortheSudanesePeoplesLiberationArmyofSouthSudan(SPLA)signatureofanagreementcallingon anactionplanwiththeUnitedNationswhichrenewedtheircommitmenttoreleaseallchildrenwithintheirranks.Thisnew actionplan,signedbytheMinistryofDefence,UNMISS,UNICEF,andSRSGRadhikaCoomaraswamy,alsoensuresthatall militiascurrentlybeingincorporatedintotheSPLAarechildfree. GraaMachel,memberofTheEldersandformerUNindependentexpertontheimpactofarmedconflictonchildren,stated: the decision of the ICC must be commended and supported unequivocally and without reservation to ensure that the global voice of humanityasawholesendsaclearmessagetobothStateandnonStateactors,notjustinAfricabutthroughouttheworldwherechildren have often been used as soldiers, that war is no place for a child and more importantly the encouragement, enticement, or forced recruitmentofchildrenassoldierswillnotgounpunished!Thosewhoengageinthesepracticesshouldnotonlybetreatedaspariahsin thisworldbuttheymustbehunteddown,tried,convictedandgiventhemaximumsentence.[Compilationcontinuesonpage2]

ICCindicteeAlSenussiarrestedinMauritania
16 March Former Libyan intelligence chief and subject to an ICC arrest warrant, Abdullah AlSenussi, was reportedly arrested in Mauritania. The ICC arrest warrant and request for arrest and surrender were subsequently transmitted to Mauritania, a non State Party. UN Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011) urges all States and concerned regional and other international organizations to cooperate fully with the Court and the Prosecutor. The Libyan and French authorities are both simultaneously seeking his extradition from Mauritania. The Mauritanian authorities are reportedly considering the legal basisofalltheserequests.

UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, stated: I congratulate the Mauritanian authorities for detaining him and encourage all involvedtocooperatefullywiththeICCunderUNSecurityCouncilResolution1970.ThedetentionofthefinalLibyaICCindicteenow offers the Libyan authorities the opportunity to focus fully on rebuilding their country and continuing the transition to democracy.Al Senussisarrestisafurtherreminderthatpeopleatalllevelsshouldthinkcarefullyabouttheconsequencesoftheiractionswhetherthey areorderingattacksoncivilians,carryingoutsuchattacksorotherwisesuppressingthewishesofpeoplewantingabetterfuture.Thereach ofjusticeislongandtherewillcomeadaywhentheyareheldtoaccount.

OTPActivities
OVERVIEW
7situationsunderinvestigation 15casesinrelationto24persons 11outstandingarrestwarrants 8preliminaryexaminationsin4differentcontinents Phases 5casesbeforePreTrialChambers 2casesbeforeTrialChambers 1verdict

I.PreliminaryExaminations

PreliminaryexaminationsrefertotheanalyticalprocessbywhichtheOTPassesseswhetherthereisareasonablebasistoproceedwithan investigationinagivensituation. In accordance with Article 15 of the Statute, the OTP proactively gathers and evaluates information from multiple sources, including communicationsfromindividualsandpartiesconcerned(phase1initialreview).Followingasequentialprocess,andirrespectiveofthe mechanism by which the jurisdiction of the Court is triggered, the Office then applies the same legal criteria laid out in Article 53 of the Statute, namely temporal/territorial/personal jurisdiction (phase 2a), subjectmatter jurisdiction (phase 2b), admissibility, including complementarityandgravity(phase3)andtheinterestsofjustice(phase4). Currently, the OTP is conducting preliminary examinations into eight situations: Palestine (phase 2a), Afghanistan, Honduras, Korea and Nigeria(phase2b),Colombia,GeorgiaandGuinea(Phase3).

II.InvestigationsandProsecutions

1.SituationintheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo(DRC)Referred:April2004InvestigationOpened:June2004
Trials TheProsecutorvThomasLubangaDyilochargedwithwarcrimesofconscripting,enlistingandusingchildrentoactivelyparticipatein hostilitiescommittedintheIturiregion20022003 Status:Judgmentdeliveredon14March2012;partiestopresentviewsontheproceduresandprinciplesonsentenceandreparationsby18 April2012 TheProsecutorvGermainKatangaandMathieuNgudjoloChuichargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthe attackofthevillageofBogorointheIturiregionon24February2003 Status:Defencecasepresentationconcluded,closingoralstatementssettostarton15May2012 ConfirmationofChargesHearing TheProsecutorvCallixteMbarushimanachargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity,includingmassivesexualviolence, committedintheNorthandSouthKivus20092010 Status:PreTrialChamberIdeclinestoconfirmthecharges(16December2011);leavetoappealwasgrantedon1stMarch WarrantPending TheProsecutorvBoscoNtagandachargedwithwarcrimesofconscripting,enlistingandusingchildrentoactivelyparticipateinhostilities committedintheIturiregion20022003 Issued:22August2006

[Continuation of highlights compilation]: The UN SecretaryGeneral emphasized the need for the international community to continuewithitseffortstoputanendtoimpunityandrecallstheimportanceofholdingaccountablethosewhocommitgenocide,crimes against humanity and war crimes. In this connection, he reaffirms the strong commitment of the United Nations to support the independentworkoftheCourtasthecentrepieceoftheinternationalcriminaljusticesystem.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stated: For many years, and on a daily basis, we have been documenting gross violations of human rights of the sort perpetrated by Lubanga against the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.TheLubangaverdictsendsastrongsignalagainstimpunityforsuchgravebreachesofinternationallawthatwillreverberatewell beyondtheDRC.Twodecadesago,internationaljusticewasanemptythreat.Sincethenagreatdealhasbeenachieved,andthecomingof ageoftheICCisofimmenseimportanceinthestruggletobringjusticeanddeterfurthercrimes. Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, declared: This is a pivotal victory for the protection of children in conflict. The convictionofThomasLubangabytheICCsendsaclearmessagetoallarmedgroupsthatenslaveandbrutalizechildren:Impunitywillnot betolerated. TheEUHighRepresentative,CatherineAshton,stressed:ThisjudgmentconstitutesasignificantachievementfortheCourt initstaskofensuringrespectfor,andenforcementof,internationaljustice.Atthesametime,thisverdictoffersanopportunity for the ICC to reflect on the proceedings and analyze lessons learnt. The verdict demonstrates that perpetrators cannot act withimpunity.ItresonatesfarbeyondtheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo,asthetrialofMr.Lubangahasraisedawareness abouttheplightofchildsoldiersandthefactthatrecruitingandusingchildrenunder15incombatisawarcrime. French Minister for Foreign Affairs Alain Jupp emphasized: The Courts capacity to make decisions is demonstrating its effectivenessinthefightagainstimpunityandtherightsofvictims.Itsroleisasdissuasiveaspunitive.Anyonewhomaybetemptedby themadnessofgenocideorcrimesagainsthumanityknowsthatnothingcanstopjustice.Andvictimsofsuchcrimes,theirfamiliesortheir lovedonesknowthereisalwaysaremedy.TheUKMinisterforAfricaHenryBellinghamsaid:Therehasbeenwidespreadimpunity forserioushumanrightsabusesinDRCandIhopetodaysjudgementwillprovidesomeformofcomforttothemanyvictimsofLubangas crimes, the majority of whom were young children. The British government will continue to give the ICC its full support as it takes forwarditsmandatetocombatimpunity. TheSynergyoftheCongoleseNGOsfortheVictims(SYCOVI)stateditwaspleasedandproud,inthenameofalltheCongolese victims,oftheverdictthattheICChasjustreturnedinthecaseofThomasLubangaDyilo.Thisverdictisavictoryforjustice,human rightsandthesocialharmony,andisamotiveforsatisfactionandenjoymentfortheCongolesepeople.TheDRCNationalCoalitionfor the ICC welcomed the verdict that ends suspicions of the presumption of innocence of Thomas Lubanga, confirming international criminal responsibility. It also welcomes the very professional work done over several years by the Office of Prosecutor Luis Moreno OcampotopresentevidencethateliminatesanyreasonabledoubttheguiltofThomasLubanga. Severalmembersofcivilsociety,includingAmnestyInternational,HumanRightsWatchandtheFIDH,calledfortheurgent needtoenforcetheoutstandingarrestwarrantagainstBoscoNtaganda. 14MarchTrialChamberIsetatimetableforsentencingandreparationsintheLubangacase.ItorderedtheDefencetofile submissionsby28March2012onthepartsofthearticle74Judgmentrequiringtranslationandthetimeitseekstoprepare sentencingsubmissionsoncethetranslatedsectionshavebeenreceived.ItinvitedtheProsecutionandLegalRepresentatives ofvictimstofile,by18April2012,writtensubmissionsontheproceduretobeadoptedforsentencingandtheprinciplestobe appliedindeterminingtheappropriatesentencetobeimposed.Itstatedthatasentencinghearingwillbefixedinduecourse. Withregardtoreparations,itinvitedthePartiesandParticipantsaswellastheRegistryandTrustFundforVictimstofile,by 18April2012,submissionsontheprinciplestobeappliedbytheChamberandtheproceduretobefollowed,notingthatthese submissionsshouldaddress,interalia:(i) whether reparationsshould beawarded ona collective orindividual basis;(ii)to whom they are to be directed, how harm is to be assessed and the criteria to be applied to the awards; (iii) whether it is possible or appropriate to make a reparations order against the convicted person; (iv) whether it would be appropriate to makeanorderforanawardforreparationsthroughtheTrustFundforVictims;and(v)whetherthePartiesorParticipants seektocallexpertevidence.Itstatedthatitwilldecidethereafterwhethertoholdareparationshearing. 12MarchTheProsecutionfiledadocumentinsupportifitsappealagainsttheconfirmationofchargesintheMbarushimana case. It submitted that PTCI wrongly exceeded the scope and nature of a confirmation hearing by: resolving conflicts, inconsistenciesorambiguitiesinwrittenstatements;makingcredibilityfindingswithoutanadequaterecord;diminishingthe credibilityofcategoriesofwitnesses;requiringcorroboration;andresolvingpresumptionsandapparentconflictsinfavourof theDefence.Italsocontendedthattherequirementthatthepersonmakesasignificantcontributiontothecommissionor attemptedcommissionofthecrimewaserroneousgiventhatarticle25(3)(d)onlyrequiresanycontribution.

2.SituationinUgandaReferred:January2004Investigationopened:July2004
WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvJosephKonyetal.chargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringLRAsinsurgencyactivitiesin NorthernUganda20022004 Issued: 8 July 2005. On 11 July 2007, PreTrial Chamber I ordered to terminate the proceedings against Raska Lukwiya. On 8 November 2007,theOTPsubmittedinformationtothePTConthereporteddeathofVincentOtti.

7 March US Ambassador at large in the Office of Global War Crimes issues, Stephen Rapp, in a briefing to a US House Committee,highlightedUSsupportfortheICCseffortstobringseniorLRAleaderstojusticeandtheirbeliefthattheyshould beapprehendedandheldaccountablefortheiractions.HedescribedtheworkofUSmilitaryadviserswithregionalnational forcesassistingtheminpursuingtheLRAstopcommandersandhelpingtoenhancetheircapacitytobringtheseindividuals tojustice.HesupportedproposedexpansionofthecurrentUSWarCrimesRewardsProgramtoincludeindividualssuchas Joseph Kony and other top LRA leaders to bolster efforts to generate information on top commanders whereabouts and encouragefurtherlowerleveldefections. 16MarchUSAmbassadortotheAUMichaelBattleemphasisedtheimportanceofcapturingLRAleaderJosephKonyand bringing him to justice before the ICC: ifyoudontcapturehim,yourenotgoingtoreintegrateanybody,becauseeverybodyisso afraidofhim.Soweneedtocapturehimmilitarily.HeneedstogobeforetheICC.Heneedstobeprosecuted. 23 March AU Special Envoy on the LRA Francisco Madeira and the UN Secretary Generals Special Representative for CentralAfricaAbouMoussaconcludedaregionalmeetinginEntebbefocusedondevelopingaregionalstrategyagainstKony and the LRA. AU envoy Madeira welcomed the agreement of the four regional governments affected to cooperate and the launchoftheRegionalJointOperationsTaskForceon24March,withitsoperationscentrebasedinSouthSudan.Hesaid: WeneedtostopKonywithhardwarewithmilitaryhardwareinthiscase[]Weareonamissiontostophim.SRSGMoussasaid that(astherecentKony2012documentarymadeclear)inlightofthecontinuingthreattotheregionposedbyKonyandthe LRA, LRA leaders needed to be brought to justice. Weneedtotakeadvantageofthehighlevelofinterest,goodwillandpolitical commitmenttofinallyputanendtothiscrime. 3.SituationinDarfur,theSudanReferred:March2005Investigationopened:June2005
Trial TheProsecutorvAbdallahBandaAbakaerNourainandSalehMohammedJerboJamuschargedwithwarcrimescommittedduringanattack againsttheHaskanitaAUpeacekeepingbaseinNorthDarfuron29September2007 Status:Chargesconfirmed,trialdatetobeset Prosecutiontopresentadditionalevidence TheProsecutorvBaharIdrissAbuGardachargedwithwarcrimescommittedduringanattackagainsttheHaskanitaAUpeacekeepingbase inNorthDarfuron29September2007 WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvOmarAlBashirchargedwithwarcrimes,crimesagainsthumanityandgenocidecommittedaspartofthecounter insurgencycampaigninDarfur20032008(atleast) Issued:4March2009&12July2010 TheProsecutorvAliKushaybandAhmadHarunchargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringtheattacks againstthecivilianpopulationinDarfurAugust2003March2004 Issued:27February2007 TheProsecutorvAbdelRaheemMuhammadHusseinchargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringattacksagainst thecivilianpopulationinDarfurAugust2003March2004 Issued:1March2012

4.SituationintheCentralAfricanRepublic(CAR)Referred:January2005Investigationopened:May2007
Trial TheProsecutorvJeanPierreBembaGombochargedwithwarcrimesandcrimesagainsthumanity,includingamassiverapecampaign, committedinCARbetween26October200215March2003 Status:Prosecutionhascompletedthepresentationofitscaseonthe21stMarch2012.

5.SituationinKenyaOTPrequesttostartinvestigation:November2009Investigationopened:March2010
Trials TheProsecutorvWilliamSamoeiRutoandJoshuaArapSangchargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthepostelectoral violenceinKenyaonorabout30December2007endJanuary2008 Status: Case sent to trial on 23 January 2012, date of trial to be set (charges were not confirmed against Henri Kosgey, but the OTP will presentadditionalevidence) TheProsecutorvFrancisKirimiMuthauraandUhuruMuigaiKenyattachargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringthepost electoralviolenceinKenya2428January2008 Status: Casesenttotrialon23January2012,dateoftrialtobeset(chargeswerenotconfirmedagainstMohammedAli,buttheOTPwill presentadditionalevidence)

6.SituationinLibyaReferred:February2011Investigationopened:March2011
WarrantsPending TheProsecutorvSaifAlIslamGaddafiandAbdullahAlSenussichargedwithcrimesagainsthumanitycommittedduringattacksonthe civilianpopulationbytheLibyanSecurityForces15Februaryatleast28February2011 Issued:27June2011;PreTrialChamberIorderedtheterminationofthecasetheProsecutorv.MuammarGaddafi,afterProsecutionrequest(22 November2011)

7.SituationinCtedIvoireOTPrequesttostartinvestigation:June2011Investigationopened:October2011
Warrantexecuted The Prosecutor v Laurent Gbagbo charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed after the November 2010 Ivorian elections. Issued:23November2011(underseal) Status:initialappearanceon5December2011;confirmationofchargeshearingsetfor18June2012

21 March The UN Human Rights Council held an interactive dialogue on the report of the Independent Expert Doudou Diene on the situation of human rights in Cte dIvoire. Diene said the longlasting roots of the crisis in the country were based on the fight for political power to the detriment of human rights, the relationship between political structure and ethnicity and rural land policy which constituted a ticking time bomb, and the predominance of a culture of impunity and lawlessnessatalllevelsofpower.Inthedialoguethatfollowed,severalstatescalledfortheinvestigationandprosecutionof allperpetratorsofhumanrightsviolationsregardlessoftheiraffiliationandencouragedtheIvoiriangovernmentandother actorssuchastheICCtocombatimpunity.

III.ArrestsCooperation
10PERSONSSOUGHTBYTHECOURT

TheProsecutorv BoscoNtaganda(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:DRC,inandaroundGoma TheProsecutorv JosephKonyetal(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:variously,atdifferenttimes,intheborderareabetweenDRC,CARandSouthSudan

 TheProsecutorv SaifAlIslamGaddafiandAbdullahAlSenussi (moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Libya TheProsecutorv AhmedHarunandAliKushayb (moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:SouthKordofan,Sudan(A.Harun) Sudan(A.Kushayb) TheProsecutorv OmarHassanAhmadAlBashir(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Khartoum,Sudan 22 March The US governments Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Board of Directors, chaired by US Secretary of StateHillaryClinton,decidedtosuspenditscompactwithMalawiinvolvingaplanned$350millioninvestmentinthepower sectoronthebasisofapatternofactionsbytheMalawiangovernmentinconsistentwiththedemocraticgovernancecriteria usedbytheMCCtoselectitspartners.TheMCCcitedMalawisdecisiontoallowSudanesePresidentOmarAlBashirtoattenda tradesummitinLilongwe,despitetheICCsoutstandingwarrantforhisarrest as one of the governments actions which further deepenedtheirconcerns. TheProsecutorvAbdelRaheemMuhammadHussein(moreinformationhere) Currentlocation:Khartoum,Sudan

IV.OtherCooperation
16MarchABahrainiwomensparliamentarydelegationvisitedtheOTP.Thedelegationwas receivedbytheProsecutorandtopicsofmutualinterestwerediscussed.Thedelegationsalso discussedrecentchangesinBahrainsincetheFebruary2011unrest,theintegralroleofwomen andtherecommendationsoftheBahrainIndependentCommissionofInquiry(BICI). 21MarchDeputyProsecutorBensoudaparticipated,togetherwithFirstVicePresidentJudge MonagengandtheRegistrar,intheopeningsessionoftheNinthAnnualMeetingoftheBoard ofDirectorsoftheTrustFundforVictimsoftheICC.TheDeputyProsecutorsaid:Thismeeting convenes at a very appropriate time. (...) [L]ess than a week ago, the Court delivered its first decision. TrialChamberIdecidedunanimouslythatThomasLubangaDyiloisguilty,asacoperpetrator,ofthe war crimes of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate activelyinhostilities.(...)On18April,thepartieshavetopresenttheirgeneralviewsonreparations.The TrustFundwill have an importantrole here too. The world will knowmore about the suffering ofthe victimsinIturi.(...)TheRomeStatute,theICCandtheTrustFundareapromisetothevictimsandtotheaffectedcommunities;apromise forjustice,accountability,reparationandhope.

V.UpcomingEvents

March
19 26 27 28 29 30 Deputy Prosecutor deliversakeynote addressatthe Journe dtudesonthe 31 20 21 22 23 24 25

roleofthe Defence organizedbythe ICB,Geneva

April
2 Prosecutorholds bilateral meetings,New York 9 3 Prosecutor holdsbilateral meetings,New York 10 11 12 Deputy Prosecutor deliversRobert JacksonKeynote addressatthe conference Africaand International Law:Taking stockandmoving forwardat AlbanyLaw School,NY 19 13 Deputy Prosecutor Bensoudaspeaks attheBoston University Centerfor Finance,Lawand Policy,Boston 14 15 6 7 8 1

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VI.OtherInformation

*ThisdocumentreflectstheviewsoftheOfficeoftheProsecutoroftheICC.Formoreinformation,contactMrs.OliviaSwaakGoldman,InternationalCooperationAdviser intheOfficeoftheProsecutor,atOlivia.SwaakGoldman@icccpi.int