ICCKenyan President appears before his judges: Although he did not say a word, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday became the first ever sitting head of state to appear before the ICC. Kenyatta, who pleads not guilty, is charged with crimes against humanity committed in violence that followed elections at the end of 2007. During Wednesday’s status conference, prosecutors again accused the Kenyan authorities of withholding documents they say they need for their case. Kenyatta’s lawyers claimed that Nairobi is cooperating fully. They said prosecutors have no case and that the whole thing should be dropped. The judges are now deliberating.
ICCDate set for Ntaganda trial: The ICC on Thursday announced that the trial of Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda is to start on June 2, 2015. Ntaganda is charged with 13 counts of war crimes and 5 counts of crimes against humanity committed in Ituri, north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in 2002 and 2003.
DRCUN urges justice for Congolese rebel crimes: The UN on Thursday urged justice for crimes committed by M23 rebels when they controlled parts of North Kivu, eastern DRC, between April 2012 and November 2013. Investigations by the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the DRC found that during this period, the M23 committed grave violations of human rights and humanitarian law in North Kivu. NEXT WEEKICC: Prosecutors in the trial of Congolese Senator Jean-Pierre Bemba are to re-open presentation of their case from Tuesday to Thursday, to bring a new protected witness. ICC: The ICC is to hold a status conference on Friday in the case Bosco Ntaganda, whose trial is set to start in June 2015.
ER/ JC