UN requests ICC probe of destruction of mausoleums in Mali: The United Nation’s cultural wing reported the destruction of precious mausoleums to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Irina Bokova, the organisation’s general director, told reporters at the end of a visit to Timbuktu that she had met with the prosecutor two months ago and things should move along quickly. The mausoleums are designated as World Heritage monuments by UNESCO, thus Bokova said destroying such cultural heritage was considered a war crime under the UN’s 1954 Hague Convention. The mausoleums were destructed when Al-Qaeda-linked insurgents seized Timbuktu in 2012 and the UN cultural body began rebuilding Timbuktu with the Malian government and other international organisations after a 2013 French-led military operation drove the jihadists out of the city. The mausoleums were originally constructed to show honor to deceased saints. (The Indian Express, Yahoo! News) (For additional information please click here)
Hissene Habré removed from courtroom as trial begins before the Senegalese special court: Chad’s former President Hissene Habré’s trial began without him today, 20 July 2015. Habre does not recognise the court and was brought to trial by prison guards while shouting, “Down with imperialists. [The trial] is a farce by rotten Senegalese politicians. African traitors. Valet of America.” Habre was then taken out of the courtroom and refused to come in after opening statements. Judges ordered that Habre’s trial would be suspended until tomorrow, at which time Habre will be forced to attend. Commentary of the trial has noted the importance of the fact that Senegal is hosting a trial of the former leader of another African nation. Habre’s regime is allegedly responsible for 40,000 deaths and disappearances in the early 1990s while he served as leader of Chad. Habre was indicted in 2013 but he refused to cooperate with the special court. (BBC News, Human Rights Watch, UK Telegraph, DW) (For additional information please click here and click here and click here)
Commander of Bosnian Serb army testifies for Mladic defense: Defence witness Bosko Kelecevic in the trial of Ratko Mladic this week said he was unaware of any crimes committed in his area of responsibility. Kelecevic was the wartime commander of the Bosnian Serb army’s largest corps. Prosecutor Arthur Traldi spent some time on cross-examination and the Mladic case will now begin its summer recess. Mladic is accused of being responsible for crimes of genocide, persecution, extermination, murder and forcible population transfer which “contributed to achieving the objective of the permanent removal of Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from Bosnian Serb-claimed territory.” (Institute for War and Peace Reporting)
ECCC says Thailand and Vietnam failed to cooperate with investigations: The United Nations-backed tribunal for trying former Khmer Rouge leaders said today that Thailand and Vietnam have failed to cooperate with its investigations despite repeated requests. The Office of the Co-Investigating Judges of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia said they had written several letters to Vietnam and Thailand asking them to provide the relevant documents. However, neither country has provided cooperation yet thus the office urges them “in the interests of justice, to comply fully with the outstanding requests for assistance.” The office asked the two countries for cooperation in investigating two of the cases involving a combined five suspects over a series of alleged violation of Cambodian penal law, international humanitarian law and custom, and international conventions recognised by Cambodia during the late 1970s. (The Bankok Post)
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