Simone Gbagbo is also under an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant which Abidjan has so far refused to implement, arguing that national courts are willing and able to give her a fair trial.
The former First Lady is charged with crimes committed during violence that followed 2010 elections. She is to be tried in Abidjan with nearly 100 former close allies of her husband, Laurent Gbagbo, who is now in the hands of the ICC.
Nicknamed the “Iron Lady”, she was arrested in 2011 and has been held since then Odienné.
Those on trial with Simone Gbagbo include Gilbert Aké N’Gbo, who was Prime Minister under Laurent Gbagbo, and is currently on conditional release.
They are charged with “genocide and murder, endangering state security, rebellion and disturbing the public order” as well as “economic crimes”.
The juries for these trials were selected in a draw on Monday.
ER/ JC
