ICC gives SA more time to respond over Bashir visit:
Yesterday, 15 October 2015, The International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague said that it is giving South Africa (SA) more time to explain why it did not arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir despite a court order for his arrest. a statement, the ICC said; “The Chamber grants South Africa’s request for an extension of the time-limit to submit its views on the events surrounding Omar al-Bashir’s visit… until such time as the currently ongoing relevant judicial proceedings before the courts of South Africa are finalized.” The ICC’s decision is due to the fact that a Pretoria court has not finalized the case, yet. In addition to their statement regarding the extension, the ICC ordered SA to “promptly report… any developments in the relevant judicial proceedings as they occur…[s]hould no such developments occur prior to December 15, 2015, SA must submit a report on the status of judicial proceedings no later than 31 December 2015.” Bashir has evaded justice since his indictment in 2009 for alleged crimes committed during the Darfur conflict and visited SA for the AU summit in mid-June, managing to exit the country without being arrested. SA maintains that its obligations to the AU trump the laws of the ICC. (News24, Yahoo! News) (For additional information please click here)
ICTR presents final report to UN GA: The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) submitted its last report to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, 14 October 2015. The ICTR closed its doors last December, 21 years after creation. On 1 December 2015, an official ceremony will be held to end the ICTR at the Tribunal’s headquarters in Arusha, Northern Tanzania. President of the Tribunal, Judge Vagn Joensen, said it was a huge honor for him to present this report to the assembly. Established by a resolution of the Security Council in November 1994, the ICTR has indicted 92 people for their alleged role in the 1994 genocide of the Tutsis and sentenced 61 of them, with six awaiting trial appeal. The decision on the final six will be delivered by the end of the year. On 1 January 2016, all uncompleted ICTR activities will be transferred to the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), which is also responsible for managing the Tribunal on behalf of the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Nine accused remain on the run and Judge Joensen reiterated the need to find them and arrest them. (Star Africa)
ICTY President addresses UN GA: Today, 16 October 2015, President Theodor Meron of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) presented the Tribunal’s twenty-second Annual Report to the UN General Assembly. President Meron noted that the Tribunal had made significant progress in completing the last of its proceedings, with two major Appeal Judgements being delivered in the Popovic et al. case. Only four trials and two appeal proceedings will be ongoing at the beginning of 2016, with the final two cases of the ICTY to be completed before the end of 2017. Addressing the General Assembly for the last time as President of the ICTY, Meron stated he was honored to serve in this position and that “it has been a particular privilege to help guide the first of the modern era’s international criminal tribunals.” In closing, the President stated that with the support of the international community, criminal tribunals have the power to build on achievements and reflect the highest aspirations of the United Nations. (ICTY Website)
ICC investigators meet Kenya MP over witness tampering: On Monday, 12 October 2015, investigators from the International Criminal Court (ICC) met with and questioned Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria over claims that witnesses recruited to testify at the Kriegler Commission were enlisted by the ICC. The meeting took place in Nairobi, Kenya, where Kuria, his lawyer Danson Mungatana, journalist Joshua arap Sang’s legal counsel, Kimutal Bosek, and two investigations from the ICC spoke for four hours. Due to Kuria being a possible witness in the Sang case, Sang’s counsel was present. No details of the meeting were uncovered, with Kuria stating that his status as a witness needed to be respected by the media. Whether the ICC met with Kuria in his capacity as a witness or suspect based on the alleged witness interference was unclear. The Office of the Prosecutor emphasized that witness interference was a serious matter. (Capital News)
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