Venezuelan group asks for ICC inquiry into Maduro allegations: On Tuesday, 10 November, a request to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and seven other government officials was presented to the ICC. The request, which was by a group of Venezuelan opposition figures, including Popular Will opposition leader Carlos Vecchio, was made in the names of alleged victims. The request lists alleged murders, illegal detentions and torture committed since protests erupted against Maduro’s government in February 2014. The ICC has six months to make a decision on whether to accept the request. (Yahoo).
Witness for Mladic describes mass grave, suspected local police involvement: On Monday, 9 November, a defense witness testified in the ICTY case against former Bosnian Serb Army Commander Ratko Mladic concerning mass graves at mines that the witness was in charge of near Prijedor. The witness, Ostoja Marjanovic, said he heard about the mass graves containing bodies of Bosniaks and Croats in 2003 through court testimony. Marjanovic said he assumed the Prijedor police, and not the Bosnian Serb Army, had buried the bodies which took place in 1992. Mladic faces genocide charges at the ICTY in areas including Prijedor. (Balkan Insight).
Oric counsel requests that ICTY order that domestic court cease proceedings: Lawyers for former Bosnian Muslim commander Naser Oric filed a request made public Monday, 9 November, asking the U.N. Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals to order the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to drop war crimes charges against him. Oric’s lawyers argued international law precluded a national court from prosecuting a person for crimes already tried for. Oric was previously tried and acquitted by the ICTY for failing to protect Srebrenica’s Serb population during the 1992-1995 conflict. (Yahoo).
UN Representative applauds S. Sudan effort to combat sexual violence: On 10 November, U.N Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura applauded the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in Opposition (SPLA-IO) for its efforts in preventing sexual violence during conflict. Specifically, Bangura commended 54 ranking commanders of SPLA-IO for signing “explicit undertakings” to combat sexual violence during conflict which includes accountability, investigations, cooperation and protection of victims and witnesses. Bangura said “These undertakings mean that each senior officer takes individual responsibility as well as command responsibility for his troops, and publicly declares that he will hold each soldier accountable for sexual violence crimes.” (UN News Centre).
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