ICCBemba trial resumes: The trial of Congolese Senator and former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba resumed on Monday before the International Criminal Court (ICC) with the testimony of a defence witness, expected to take place entirely behind closed doors. The whereabouts of the witness, code-named DO4-19 to protect identity, is also being kept secret.
Confirmation of charges hearings end for Gbagbo: Confirmation of charges hearings in the case of former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo ended Thursday with Gbagbo being allowed to address the pre-trial court. He presented himself as a champion of democracy. Gbagbo is suspected of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape, carried out during post-electoral violence in 2010-2011. The judges will decide in the coming weeks whether to commit him to trial or not.
ICTRAcquitted persons want UN intervention: Seven personalities acquitted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) but still seeking a host country on Monday urged the UN to intervene so that they can rejoin their families living in western countries. They are five former ministers, a general and Protais Zigiranyirazo, brother-in-law of the late ex-president Juvénal Habyarimana. Four of them want to join family members in France, while two have family in Canada and one in Belgium.
NETHERLANDSDutch court convicts Rwandan woman: A court in The Hague on Friday sentenced a woman of Rwandan origin to six years and eight months in jail for incitement to commit the 1994 genocide. According to the judgment, Yvonne Basebya, who had already obtained Dutch nationality, called for murder and violence against Tutsis. However, she was acquitted of all other charges, including conspiracy to commit genocide.
NEXT WEEKRwanda: The trial of Pastor Jean Uwinkindi, the first ICTR accused person to be transferred to Rwanda, is set to start on Monday, according to Rwandan Prosecutor Martin Ngoga. The trial had been postponed because of a challenge by the accused before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court rejected his request on February 22.
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