Last Updated 13 November 2009
Selected Events From: 2002-2005 | 2006
10 November 2009: Two judges in the trial of Thomas Lubanga are appointed to conduct the upcoming proceedings against Jean-Pierre Bemba. Judge Adrian Fulford, who presides over the Lubanga trial, will perform the same function during the Bemba proceedings. He will be joined by Judge Elizabeth Odio-Benito, who was known during the Lubanga trial for asking witnesses about the experiences of young girl soldiers. The third judge will be Joyce Aluoch. It is unclear whether Lubanga’s trial will be completed by the time the proceedings against Bemba begin on 27 April 2010.
10 November 2009: Howard Wolpe, U.S. envoy to the Great Lakes, says that the Democratic Republic of Congo must arrest former rebel general Jean Bosco Ntaganda, also known as "the Terminator,” who is now believed to hold a the position of deputy commander of an anti-rebel offensive that is being supported by the U.N. mission in Congo (MONUC). The U.N. says Congo has assured it that Ntaganda is not playing a significant role. He is wanted by the ICC for recruiting child soldiers, but joined the DRC army in January, after the arrest warrant was issued.
9 November 2009: Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula says that Nairobi will help the ICC to probe election violence, but that it is committed to a "local solution,” after ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo failed to secure a formal referral from the Kenyan government. A bid by a Kenyan member of parliament to create of a special court to try perpetrators of last year's post-election violence was delayed on 4 November 2009 when only 19 of the members of Kenya’s 222-seat parliament showed up to debate the bill (a quorum of 30 MPs is required to hold a vote). Two previous attempts to win parliamentary approval for the creation of the court have also foundered, despite the backing of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader-turned-Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
8 November 2009: Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir pulls out of the 9 November 2009 Organization of the Islamic Conference summit in Istanbul, a trip that the European Union had objected to because of his indictment by the ICC. Sudan's state news agency reported that Bashir postponed his trip to return to Khartoum to discuss a deadlock over election laws with his coalition partners, the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement. Turkey has not ratified the Rome Statute and said it had no plans to arrest Bashir; however, the country continues to seek EU membership and had come under pressure from Brussels to drop Bashir from the guest list.
6 November 2009: During a visit to Kenya to meet with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo says that he will ask the ICC to let him start an investigation into suspected crimes against humanity committed during Kenya's post-election violence in 2008. "The presidency had received from the prosecutor a letter ... indicating its intention to submit a request for the authorization of an investigation into that situation," the Court said in a statement. Kibaki and Odinga said in a joint statement that Kenya remained committed both to cooperating with the ICC and to establishing a local judicial mechanism to prosecute those involved in the violence.
5 November 2009: Trial Chamber III sets Tuesday, 27 April 2010 as the date for the commencement of the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo.
5 November 2009: In response to the 575-page Goldstone Report, the U.N. General Assembly votes to urge the Jewish state and Palestinians to investigate war crimes in the recent Gaza conflict. The Arab-drafted resolution is nonbinding and unlikely to lead to inquiries by either Israel or Hamas into their conduct during the December-January military action. Following a two-day debate, 114 countries voted for the resolution with 18 opposed – including Israel and the United States – and 44 abstaining. No General Assembly country has veto power. It is unlikely the Security Council will take action as all five veto-wielding permanent members opposed council involvement.
3 November 2009: In a TV broadcast, the leader of Guinea's most recent coup, Capt. Moussa "Dadis" Camara, says he "bitterly regrets" the deaths of over 150 pro-democracy protesters who were gunned down by soldiers last month, that "the blood of innocent people has been spilled,” and that he "prostrates himself" before their memory. He declines to say that men under his control were responsible for the killings and blames opposition leaders for having organized the demonstration. He also says that he would not stand by while foreigners try to "teach Guinea a moral lesson."
2 November 2009: Colombia’s ambassador to The Hague, Jose Lloreda Mera, says that the ICC will only intervene in Colombia as a "last resort," if it believes that war crimes and crimes against humanity have not been dealt with adequately under Colombian justice. The Ambassador stresses that the Court will only intervene in Colombia when there is a failure by the State to bring war criminals to justice.
2 November 2009: Guinea's main Forces Vives opposition leaders arrive in Burkina Faso to meet with President Blaise Compaore for talks over the 28 September army massacre. Four of Guinea's former prime ministers are also in the capital, Ouagadougou, for the talks, which are due to start on 3 November. Opposition leaders Alpha Conde and Mouctar Diallo along with union representatives and civil society leaders are to attend the summit as well.
31 October 2009: The ICC holds two sessions in the DRC, on 29 and 30 October, for seventy-five Congolese civil and military judges on the theme “Judicial practice before the International Criminal Court: what lessons can national courts learn?” The aim of these sessions is to provide information tailored to judges, mainly on the principle of complementarity, according to which the ICC’s mission is not to replace national courts and tribunals, but only to intervene if national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.
30 October 2009: Bahr Idriss Abu Garda’s pre-trial confirmation of charges hearing comes to an end. Legal Representatives of 78 victims participated in the hearing, and three of these Legal Representatives made closing statements on 29 and 30 October. Within sixty days Pre-Trial Chamber I will deliver its decision to: (a) confirm those charges and taking the case to the Trial-Chamber; (b) decline to confirm charges and adjourn the proceedings; (c) adjourn the hearing and request further evidence; or, (d) adjourn the hearing and request the Prosecutor to amend any charge where a crime other than the crime charged was committed. Both parties can apply before the Pre-Trial Chamber for leave to appeal the decision on the confirmation of charges.
30 October 2009: 16 heads of African states and other African leaders, meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja, recommend the establishment of a new court for Darfur, following proposals in a 148-page report compiled by a panel headed by former South African President Thabo Mbeki. The hybrid court would consist of Sudanese and foreign judges appointed by the African Union in consultation with the Khartoum government. The summit set up another team of experts — including Mbeki, former president of Burundi Pierre Nkuruziza, and ex-leader of Nigeria Abdul salami Abu-Bakr — to help in the implementation of the recommendations. The team has a one year mandate. The Sudanese government formally expressed reservations on the proposed hybrid court, though President Omar al-Beshir decided to stay away from the conference, with his Second Vice-President representing Sudan in his place. A communiqué released after the summit reiterated that AU had never requested for a cancelling Omar al-Bashir’s ICC arrest warrant, but only a deferral.
30 October 2009: Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo announces that proposed special tribunals for Kenya's post-election violence would complement the International Criminal Court. He declined to say how quickly he might launch indictments but said he would discuss with the Kenyan government how to avoid a repeat of the violence at the next election in 2012.
30 October 2009: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announces that three prominent jurists will form the international commission of inquiry to probe last month’s violent crackdown in Guinea. He expects the commission should be able to complete its work within a month, once it is in the field. The commissioners are:
- Mohamed Bedjaoui: Algeria’s foreign minister; has also served as a judge on the International Court of Justice and as president of Algeria’s Constitutional Council.
- Françoise Ngendahyo Kayiramirwa: Burundi’s former minister of national solidarity, human rights and gender, as well as a former minister for the repatriation of IDPs; has also served as an adviser on the ICTR.
- Pramila Patten: barrister-at-law in Mauritius; member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
29 October 2009: President of the ICC, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, presents the annual report of the ICC to the UN General Assembly in New York, emphasizing the need to respect the Court’s judicial independence and calling on the States, international organizations, and civil society to continue to work with the Court and the United Nations to further enhance this system.
29 October 2009: At a news conference in Kinshasa, Lambert Mende, a spokesman for the Congolese government, says the arrest of former rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda on war crimes charges is "not possible for the time being,” and rules out arresting Ntaganda and transferring him to the ICC for now.
25 October 2009: Responding to the invitation extended to Omar al-Bashir's to attend an African Union meeting, four national non-governmental organizations in Nigeria write an open letter to the president expressing concern that he was invited despite Nigeria's international legal obligations under the Rome Statute (which Nigeria has ratified). An anonymous Nigerian governmental source told AFP, "I think al-Bashir is still considering the invitation, out of fear we will hand him over, but that will not happen."
24 October 2009: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak comments that he fully trusts the IDF investigation into Israel’s alleged use of disproportionate force and failure to protect civilians during the 27 December - 18 January action against Palestinians in Gaza. Mr. Barak’s comments are viewed as part of Israel’s effort to prevent the UN from debating whether the ICC should take action on the Richard Goldstone report. In a meeting with the UN Secretary-General, Israel’s deputy Prime Minister also said he was "optimistic" about Israel’s request to "bury the Goldstone report.”
23 October 2009: An Outreach Team completes a two-day training and capacity building session with 15 journalists and 20 members of listening clubs from the 5 territories of the District of Ituri (Eastern District of the DRC), who will use the techniques taught by the Team to accurately inform the population of Ituri on the ICC and its activities.
19 October 2009: ICC opens confirmation hearing on war crimes charges against Darfurian rebel Bahr Idriss Abu Garda. He voluntarily appeared before the ICC on charges of war crimes over the killing of 12 African Union peacekeepers in 2007. This case is the first time the ICC has tried a suspect with charges involving crimes against international peacekeepers. This hearing will continue until 29 October 2009.
17 October 2009: The United Nations Human Rights Council endorses a report calling on Israel and Hamas to conduct credible investigations of alleged war crimes by their forces or face further international inquiries and possible prosecutions. The report urges the U.N. Security Council to require both sides to show within six months that they are conducting impartial investigations; failing that, it says, the Security Council should refer the allegations to prosecutors at the International Criminal Court.
15 October 2009: Press conference is being held on 16 October 2009 regarding the confirmation of charges hearing of Abu Garda. The confirmation of charges hearing is scheduled to start on 19 October 2009. Abu Garda is a Sudanese rebel leader charged with three war crimes.
14 October 2009: The ICC is beginning preliminary examinations of the situation in Guinea. On 28 September 2009, 157 died when soldiers opened fire during an anti-government protest in Conakry. The ICC prosecutors say there is evidence women were “abused or otherwise brutalized” by men in uniform. The ICC is currently trying to determine whether any crimes that fall under their jurisdiction have been perpetrated.
14 October 2009: Kenya is inviting ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to take part in discussions with the President and Prime Minister on 3 November 2009. If Ocampo accepts, they will discuss trying the main suspects in the post-election violence of 2008. Kenya has to date failed to establish a local tribunal to try those suspected of crimes, but has said that the ICC is free to prosecute the suspects, even though those suspects may include high ranking Kenyan Officials.
9 October 2009: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo and Integrity Vice President of the World Bank Group Leonard McCarthy sign a Memorandum of Understanding in The Hague. The agreement will allow for cooperation on areas of common interest, such as the detection, substantiation, and prevention of fraud and corruption in connection with conduct which constitutes a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court or which constitutes a serious crime under national law.
9 October 2009: The ICC announces that the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v. Abu Garda is scheduled to start on Monday, 19 October 2009. The confirmation hearing is being held to ensure that the case does not go to trial unless there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Abu Garda committed the crime with which he has been charged. He has the right to attend the hearing or in his absence be represented by counsel. Abu Garda is charged with three war crimes (violence to life, in the form of murder, whether committed or attempted; intentionally directing attacks against personnel, installations, materials, units, and vehicles involved in a peacekeeping mission; and pillaging) allegedly committed during an attack carried out on 29 September 2007.
7 October 2009: In the context of the Bahar Idriss Abu Garda case, the Single Judge denies applicants for victim status the right to file a "Response to Defense Observations on Applications for Victim Participation in the Proceedings.” The pre-trial judge dismissed their filings because applicants are not yet considered as victims with procedural rights.
7 October 2009: In the Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo case, Trial Chamber II denies request for time extensions to gather additional evidence, authorizes the Prosecutor to disclose the visual representation of the 'Institut de Bogoro' and add it to its List of Incriminating Evidence, and rejects the application to add Mr. Gilles Bourgeot, Mr. Philippe Esperanca, and Professor Jean-Paul Moisan to the List of Incriminating Witnesses.
6 October 2009: Relating to the situation of Darfur, Sudan, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the Bahar Idriss Abu Garda case issues a decision on victims' modalities of participation at the Pre-Trial Stage. The court ordered that the legal representatives of the 34 victims participating in the confirmation proceedings can attend the court proceedings and have the right to access to court documents, including transcripts, decisions, motions, etc.
6 October 2009: Judge Sang-Hyun Song is appointed the Presiding Judge of the Appeals Chamber for purposes of the appeal in the Lubanga case against the “Decision giving notice to the parties and participants that the legal characterization of the facts may be subject to change in accordance with Regulation 55(2) of the Regulations of the Court.”
6 October 2009: The Trial Chamber I Court of the Thomas Lubanga Dyilo case issues a correction due to a clerical error in the “Decision on disclosure issues, responsibilities for protective measures and other procedural matters.”
5 October 2009: The Trial Chamber presiding over the case against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui decides that the Prosecutor and the legal representatives of victims have until 12 October 2009 to submit their observations on the continued detention of Mathieu Ngudjolo to the seat of the Court.
29 September 2009: U.N. Investigator presents a report on the Gaza war to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The report calls on the Security Council to refer the issue to the International Criminal Court if Israel makes no good-faith effort to investigate.
25 September 2009: The Appeals Chamber dismisses Germain Katanga’s appeal of the Trial Chamber decision rejecting Katanga’s claim that his case is inadmissible.
21 September 2009: The ICC Outreach Team holds a training in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, with the members of the two Bars of Kinshasa.
18 September 2009: The presidency of the ICC decides that Trial Chamber III will be composed of Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito, Judge Joyce Aluoch, and Judge Adrian Fulford. The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo will be heard by this chamber.
17-18 September 2009: The Prosecutor of the ICC meets with Kenyan civil society representatives in The Hague to discuss the 2008 post-election violence in Kenya.
17 September 2009: The ICC holds a ceremony welcoming Chile as a new State Party. The total number of States Parties is now 110.
14 September 2009: Pre Trial Chamber I postpones the commencement of the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v. Bahr Idriss Abu Garda until 19 October 2009. The postponement was considered necessary in order to allow the Prosecutor to provide the suspect with a list of evidence and the statements of witnesses in Arabic, which is the suspect’s native language.
11 September 2009: The ICC holds a ceremony welcoming the Republic of Chile as a new State Party. This type of celebration is a first for the ICC. All future new member states will be welcomed in this way.
7 September 2009: The ICC’s outreach unit visits Kisangani, in the Orientale Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to meet with provincial parliamentarians, senior military officers of the Congolese army, military and civil judges, and prosecutors, lawyers, local journalists, and representatives of NGOs and civil society organizations and discuss the issues arising from the trials at the ICC.
4 September 2009: Pre-Trial Chamber II postpones hearings scheduled with the representatives of a number of countries on the subject of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo’a provisional release pending a ruling from the Appeals Chamber on the decision to conditionally release Bemba.
3 September 2009: The ICC Appeals Chamber decides to grant suspensive effect to the Prosecutor’s appeal against the Pre-trial Chamber II’s 14 August decision to grant conditional release to Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. The decision on interim release is suspended pending the final decision on the merits of the Prosecution’s appeal.
31 August 2009: Trial Chamber II decides to postpone the commencement of the trial of Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui until 24 November 2009. The trial was set to begin on 24 September, but the chamber determined the postponement was justified because (1) changes need to be made to the prosecutor’s table of evidence and witnesses, (2) outstanding evidentiary issues remain including Chui’s opposition to the inclusion of 290 pieces of evidence, (3) the chamber needs to rule on Katanga’s 30 June motion that his arrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo was unlawful, and (4) the chamber may need to change protective measures for trial witnesses. A status conference is scheduled for 30 September at 9:30 am.
26 August 2009: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo concludes a three day visit to Colombia, during which he declared he would continue to examine the country’s investigations of perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed during the country’s civil war.
25 August 2009: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo releases the reasoning behind his recent filing to the Appeals Chamber contesting release of Jean-Pierre Bemba. Moreno-Ocampo argues that the only change in circumstances since the judge last denied Bemba’s release has been the court’s confirmation of charges, and this development actually increases the potential risk of Bemba both fleeing and harming witnesses. The prosecutor also requested a suspensive effect to his appeal so Bemba cannot be released before the Appeals Chamber renders its decision.
11-12 August 2009: Both Defense and Prosecution in the Lubanga case request leave to appeal the Trial Chamber’s decision regarding the re-characterization of the facts under Regulation 55.
30 July 2009: South Africa agrees to cooperate with ICC’s arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
30 July 2009: Uganda hosts conference, but tells President al-Bashir not to attend in order to avoid international tension regarding Uganda’s duty, as a party to the Rome Statute, to arrest Bashir pursuant to the ICC arrest warrant.
30 July 2009: 161 African civil society and human rights organizations release a statement urging the African States that are parties to the Rome Statute to reject the 3 July 2009 agreement of the African Union to refuse cooperation with the ICC in the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.
28 July 2009: The Outreach Unit and the Victims Participation and Reparations Unit of the International Criminal Court begin a joint mission from 28 July to 4 August 2009 to Béni and Bukavu in the Kivus region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This mission is part of the outreach campaign in the North and South Kivu region, where the Office of the Prosecutor is currently investigating crimes allegedly committed by individuals from warring factions. The mission will talk with civil society organizations, representatives of NGOs and human rights advocacy groups, students, and youth and women’s associations.
28 July 2009: Republic of Portugal submits Additional Observations on Defence's Application for Interim Release of Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo.
23 July 2009: ICC receives Observations of the Kingdom of Belgium on the Defence's Application for Interim Release of Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. Report addresses Belgium’s comments on the release as well as any conditions that would need to be imposed to enable Belgium to accept him on their territory.
22 July 2009: Opposing op-eds are published in New York Times about whether or not the ICC should investigate international crimes from Israel’s operations in Gaza in 2008. John Dugard, South African professor of law and former chairman of the Independent Fact Finding Committee established by the Arab League wrote in favor of the investigation. George P. Fletcher, professor of jurisprudence at Columbia University, opposed the investigation. The central issue is whether Palestine can be considered a “state” for the purposes of granting the Court jurisdiction.
22 July 2009: The Czech Republic ratifies the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Statute will enter into force on 1 October 2009, bringing the total number of States Parties to the Rome Statue to 110.
21 July 2009: Trial Chamber I issues a decision in the Lubanga case: 1.) authorizing thirteen victims to act on their own behalf rather than through a legal guardian; 2.) granting legal status to the parents of six victims for the personal harm they have suffered as a result of their children’s alleged recruitment; 3.) granting legal status to two applicants; 4.) and refusing to grant legal status to one applicant as he was apparently over fifteen at the time of recruitment.
17 July 2009: Today marks International Justice Day, and the ICC and its member governments express not only their belief in the necessity of international justice but also their commitment to ensuring its enforcement.
16 July 2009: The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, receives a report on crimes committed during post-election violence and a status report on the operation of the witness protection program from Kenyan Attorney General Amos Wako. In the coming days, the Prosecutor will receive materials compiled by the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (known as the Waki Commission) and a list of the possible suspects by the Waki Commission, which will remain confidential.
14 July 2009: The Prosecution in the trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the alleged founder and leader of the Union des patriots congolais (UPC), finishes its case presentation. The trial began 26 January 2009, and the Defense is scheduled to start presenting evidence in October 2009. Dyilo is accused of enlisting and conscripting children under the age of fifteen and using them to actively participate in hostilities in The Democratic Republic of Congo.
9 July 2009: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo. He plans to hold town hall meetings and speak with leaders and representatives of all communities to gain an understanding of the needs of victims.
7 July 2009: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to meet with the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur (AUPD), led by former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
7 July 2009: A joint declaration is released following a round table discussion on 2-3 July 2009 of the Registrars of the International Criminal Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in Venice, Italy. The meeting concentrated on discussions of securing adequate funding and the efficient use of resources for each institution, including the importance of retaining qualified and committed staff. They agreed to further develop cooperation with regard to mobility of staff between their institutions and explore the possibility of common strategies for enforcement of sentences, arrangements following acquittal/interim releases, and the protection of witnesses.
3 July 2009: A high level delegation of Kenyan officials meets with the ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to explain the steps they plan to take during the upcoming year to investigate and prosecute post-election violence in Kenya. Both Kenyan government representatives and the ICC Prosecutor agreed that impunity is not an option.
30 June 2009: The Republic of Chile ratifies the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Statute will enter into force for Chile on 1 September 2009, bringing the total number of States Parties to the Rome Statute to 109.
26 June 2009: The First Vice-President of the ICC, Ms. Fatoumata Dembele Diarra of Mali will begin her first official visit to the African States Parties of Mali, Benin, and Senegal on 28 June 2009. Ms. Diarra intends to use this opportunity to encourage dialogue and emphasize the importance of implementing the Rome Statute into domestic legislation.
24 June 2009: Pre-Trial Chamber II will hold a public hearing on Monday 29 June 2009 to listen to the parties before deciding on Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba’s pre-trial detention.
19 June 2009: The Registrar of the ICC, Ms. Silvana Arbia, addresses the United Nations Human Rights Council, discussing the progress and evolution of an international criminal justice system and the importance of conducting national prosecution of serious international crimes in order to put an end to impunity.
19 June 2009: Juan E. Mendez is appointed as Special Adviser on Crime Prevention where he will advise Prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo on how to maximize the impact of the ICC’s work and prevent the commission of massive atrocities. Mr. Mendez will be working on a pro bono basis.
15 June 2009: Pre-Trial Chamber II confirms the majority of the charges brought by the Prosecutor against Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo for crimes committed under a theory of command responsibility in the Central African Republic from on or about 26 October 2002 to 15 March 2003, including murder constituting a crime against humanity; rape constituting a crime against humanity; murder constituting a war crime; rape constituting a war crime; and pillaging constituting a war crime. The Chamber declined to confirm charges of torture as a war crime; torture as a crime against humanity; and outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime.
12 June 2009: Trial Chamber II of the ICC issues a unanimous oral decision to reject the challenge to admissibility raised by the Defence for Germain Katanga. Mr. Katanga is currently being prosecuted concerning the 24 February 2003 attack on Bogoro in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Trial Chamber II also considered that the arrest warrant issued against Mr. Katanga on 2 July 2007 was not flawed.
11 June 2009: Professor Catharine A. MacKinnon, the Special Gender Adviser to the Prosecutor, provides a three day training course entitled “Evolution of Gender Crimes,” recognizing gender and sexual violence crimes as a relatively recent phenomenon in international criminal jurisprudence.
1 June 2009: ICC President Song begins his first official visit to African States Parties to the Rome Statute since taking office in March this year. He is traveling from 1 to 6 June to meet with senior representatives of governments in Tanzania, Lesotho, and Botswana.
27 May 2009: The ICC launches its school outreach campaign in eleven schools in Kinshasha, DRC, with a one-day cultural event built around the theme “No to the use of child soldiers.”
26 May 2009: Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, met with President Song of the ICC and the Prosecutor, Luis Moren-Ocampo, as Chile moves closer to ratifying the Rome Statute and becoming the 109th State Party.
18 May 2009: Bahr Idriss Abu Garda, charged with committing three counts of war crimes in Darfur, voluntarily appears before Pre-Trial Chamber I pursuant to a Summons to Appear issued by the Chamber. During the initial appearance hearing, Single Judge Cuno Tarfusser informed the suspect of his rights under the Rome Statute and set 12 October 2009 as the date to begin the confirmation of charges hearing in the case. Abu Garda’s counsel stated that his client waived his right to attend any status conferences before the confirmation hearing, and the suspect returned to Darfur.
13 May 2009: The ICC holds an outreach session with young people in the 2nd arrondissement of Bangui, Central African Republic. The 130 attendees received information about the four situations currently before the Court (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sudan, and the Central African Republic). The session also showed videos of the confirmation hearings in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, which took place in the Hague from 12 to 15 January 2009.
12 May 2009: The ICC concludes its annual seventh Seminar of Counsel in The Hague, held on 11 to 12 May 2009 with approximately 200 attendees. The Court provided an update on judicial proceedings, while influential members of the international legal profession debated and discussed issues of shared interest.
24 April 2009: Judge Fumiko Siago passes away after a brief illness. A national of Japan, Judge Siago was elected by the States Parties to the Rome Statute from the Asian Group in December 2007 and re-elected last January. She served as Judge in Pre-Trial Chamber II and Trial Chamber II.
8 April 2009: Former Kenyan MP Paul Muite writes to Chief ICC Prosecutor asking that he open an investigation into the extrajudicial killings in Kenya. Muite says his life is in danger adding that a police squad has instructions to kill him because of comments he made in 2005 over the composition of the President’s family.
4 April 2009: The trial of Lubanga isadjourned until 5 May to take into account the Court’s judicial spring break and an official holiday.
3 April 2009: The ICC registrar completes a satisfactory visit to Chad. In Chad, she met with meet with members of the Chadian government, local authorities, representatives of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations active in Chad as well as with Sudanese refugees. She thanked Chad for their help with the situation in Darfur and expressed her hope that Chad would help with the arrest warrant of President Bashir.
1 April 2009: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir travels to Saudi Arabia despite the outstanding ICC arrest warrant issued against him. Saudi Arabia is not a party to the Rome Statute.
30 March 2009: Moamer Kadhafi, the new chairman of the African Union claims that the ICC is a “new form of world terrorism” that wants to recolonize developing countries and ignores the wrongs done by Western Nations. In addition, he voiced his disapproval of the arrest warrant for President Bashir, as he believes arresting a sitting head of state is inappropriate.
25 March 2009: Despite the ICC’s warrant for his arrest, Bashir is welcomed in Egypt by the government. Egypt is not a party to the Rome Statute.
20 March 2009: The Institute for War & Peace Reporting issues a statement urging the ICC to probe Uganda’s role in the DRC—claiming that Uganda was a source of training and command for many of the child soldier militias that were eventually commanded by Lubanga. A video recorded in 2003 shows Lubanga “accusing” Ugandan troops of arming child soldiers in various Congolese militia groups.
18 March 2009: A witness explains in the Lubanga case that certain inconsistencies between prior statements and his current testimony resulted from the fact that he was initially afraid to tell the truth.
16 March 2009: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir expels thirteen aid groups for allegedly cooperating with the ICC in its investigation against him and states that he wants all other foreign aid groups who have worked with the ICC to leave within the next year.
11 March 2009: The judges of the International Criminal Court elect Judge Sang-hyun Song President of the Court, Judge Fatoumata Dembele Diarra First Vice-President, and Judge Hans-Peter Kaul Second Vice-President. All three were elected by an absolute majority for a term of three years.
11 March 2009: Five new judges of the ICC, elected by the Assembly of States Parties in January, are sworn in. The judges are: Ms Fumiko Saiga (Japan); Ms Joyce Aluoch (Kenya); Ms Sanji Mmasenono Monageng (Botswana); Ms Christine Van Den Wyngaert (Belgium); and Mr Cuno Tarfusser (Italy).
4 March 2009: Pre-Trial Chamber III issues a decision adjourning the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo and requesting that the Prosecutor consider amending the charges to include allegations that Bemba bears responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity under a theory of command or superior responsibility pursuant to Article 28 of the Rome Statute. The Prosecutor is to submit any amendments to the charges by 30 March 2009. The Defense and the Legal Representatives of participating victims will then have an opportunity to reply.
4 March 2009: Pre-Trial Chamber I issues a warrant for the arrest of Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, President of Sudan, for two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity. The majority of the Chamber, Judge Anita Ušacka dissenting, declined to include charges of genocide in the arrest warrant, based on a finding that the material provided by the Prosecution in support of its application for a warrant of arrest failed to provide reasonable grounds to believe that Bashir acted with specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups. This is the first warrant of arrest ever issued for a sitting Head of State by the ICC.
16 February 2009: Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen submits his resignation from the International Criminal Court for personal reasons. Mr. Shahabudden had been elected by the Assembly of States Parties in January 2009 for a nine year term of office as a judge, scheduled to commence on 11 March.
26 January 2009: The trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo opens before Trial Chamber I of the Court, marking the first trial to commence before the ICC. Ninety-three victims will be participating in the case through eight legal representatives. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the first person to have been surrendered to the Court, is accused of having committed the war crimes of enlisting, conscripting, and using children under the age of 15 years in armed conflict in Ituri, a district of the Eastern Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between September 2002 and August 2003.
29 December 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber III announces that the confirmation of charges hearing in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo will take place from 12 to 15 January 2009.
2 December 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber III postpones the confirmation of charges in the case of The Prosecutor vs. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, which was originally scheduled from 8 to 12 December 2008. The Chamber envisages 12 January 2009 as the earliest possible date for conducting the hearing.
26 November 2008: The Appeals Chamber issues judgment holding that “the Prosecutor cannot unilaterally preventively relocate witness” and, in cases of disagreement between the assessment of the Victims and Witnesses Unit of the Registry and the Prosecutor, the Chamber should decide whether relocation is appropriate. Judge Pikis and Judge Ntanda Nsereko issue dissenting opinions on the matter.
26 November 2008: The Office of the Prosecutor announces the appointment of Professor Catharine A. MacKinnon as Special Gender Adviser to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
20 November 2008: The ICC Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, presents evidence to Pre-Trial Chamber I in support of an arrest warrant against rebel commanders for their alleged responsibility for crimes committed against African Union peacekeepers working at the Haskanita camp in North Darfur on 29 September 2007.
18 November 2008: Trial Chamber I announces a lift on the stay of proceedings in the case against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and provisionally suggests the date of 26 January 2009 for the commencement of the trial. The decision of the Chamber, which was delivered orally in a public status conference, is based on a finding that the reasons for imposing the halt “have fallen away.” A written opinion explaining the decision more fully will be issued “in due course.” Mr. Lubanga will remain in custody pending trial.
14 November 2008: The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute opens its seventh session at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague, The Netherlands. The session will run through 22 November 2008.
6 November 2008: The prize-winners of the architectural competition for the construction of the new permanent ICC facilities are announced. Three architectural firms were selected from the 19 firms that submitted designs: 1) Ingenhoven Architects, Düsseldorf, Germany; 2) Schmidt Hammer Lassen / Bosch & Fjord, Århus, Denmark; and 3) Wiel Arets Architects & Associates, Maastricht, The Netherlands. The building's construction will be overseen by Hans Heemrood of the Netherlands and the ICC may now negotiate with one or more of the prize winners to determine the winning design and the next steps into the buildings construction. The final winning design will be made public in early 2009.
31 October 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber III decides that the confirmation of charges hearing against Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo for five counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity in the Central African Republic will take place from 8 December to 12 December 2008.
24 October 2008: The ICC Presidency refers the case against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui to Trial Chamber II, which is composed of Judges Fatoumata Dembele Diarra (Mali), Fumiko Saiga (Japan) and Bruno Cotte (France). Katanga and Ngudjolo are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
22 October 2008: Trial Chamber I requests the Prosecution, Defense and Legal Representatives of Victims to make submissions on Lubanga’s pre-trial detention by 31 October 2008.
21 October 2008: Appeals Chamber issues judgment affirming the Trial Chamber’s decision to stay the proceedings against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, but overturning the Trial Chamber’s conclusion that the release of the accused was required as a result of the stay. Instead, the Trial Chamber must determine whether the continued provisional detention of the accused is warranted in light of all relevant factors, including the likelihood that he will appear for trial in the event the stay is lifted, the possibility that he will obstruct or endanger future proceedings in his case, and whether detention is necessary to prevent the accused from continuing with the commission of the charged crime or another crime within the statute of the Court.
16 October 2008: ICC judges ask the Prosecutor for additional material regarding the request for an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir.
6 October 2008: In light of serious and converging information on attacks by the LRA against civilians in the DRC, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo calls for renewed efforts to arrest LRA leader Kony and his top commanders.
1 October 2008: Public redacted version of the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I confirming the charges against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui is released.
26 September 2008: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirms all but three of the alleged charges in the case against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, sending the case against them to trial. Pre-trial judges found sufficient evidence to try Katanga and Ndgudjolo for seven counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity. The evidence was insufficient to try Katanga and Ngudjolo for inhuman treatment, outrages upon personal dignity and inhumane acts. The alleged crimes were committed from January to March 2003 in the village of Bogoro in the Ituri district of eastern DRC. The trial is expected to start in 2009.
22-26 September 2008: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo meets with United Nations and African Union officials to discuss how to further the protection of civilians in Darfur, stop the crimes, and ensure the execution of the Court's judicial mandate and decisions.\
21 September 2008: The ICC participates in an open exhibition at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague.
3 September 2008: Trial Chamber I rejects the Prosecutor’s application to re-commence proceedings in the Lubanga case. While noting that some progress had been made in respect to the Prosecutor’s inability to disclose potentially exculpatory documents to the Defense, a fair trial could not be guaranteed unless the Trial Chamber, and possibly the Appeals Chamber, were able to review the relevant documents and ensure that the accused would be given access to any documents material to his defense.
16 July 2008: The confirmation of charges hearing in the Katanga & Ngudjolo case concludes. The Pre-Trial Chamber indicates that it will issue a decision confirming or denying the charges by 26 September 2008.
11 July 2008: Appeals Chamber issues judgment on appeals by the Prosecution and the Defense of Trial Chamber I’s 18 January 2008 decision on victim participation in the Lubanga case. The Appeals Chamber reverses the Trial Chamber’s holding that victims may participate in a case even if that victim is unable to show that his or her harm resulted from the crimes for which the accused has been confirmed for trial. Rather, according the Appeals Chamber, the harm alleged by victims wishing to participate in a particular case must be linked with the charges against the accused. At the same time, the Appeals Chamber affirmed the Trial Chamber’s holding that it is possible for victims participating in a trial to lead evidence pertaining to the guilt or innocence of the accused and to challenge the admissibility of relevant of evidence.
7 July 2008: Appeals Chamber grants suspensive effect to the Prosecution’s appeal against “Decision on the release of Thomas Lubanga,” meaning that the accused will remain under custody of the ICC pending a final decision on the appeal.
3 July 2008: Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is transferred from Belgium to the custody of the ICC. He will make his initial appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber III on 4 July 2008.
2 July 2008: Trial Chamber I orders the release of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, holding that there was no justification to hold the accused in provisional detention in light of the Trial Chamber’s stay of the proceedings. However, since an appeal may be filed within five days, the order granting release will not be enforced immediately.
27 June 2008: The confirmation of charges hearing commences in the Katanga & Ngudjolo case.
24 June 2008: Trial Chamber I holds that it would be premature to consider at this stage the release of the accused in the Lubanga case.
23 June 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I determines that an individual expected to testify as a witness for the Prosecution during the confirmation of charges hearing in the Katanga & Ngudjolo case could also participate as a victim in that case.
18 June 2008: Appeals Chamber, with Judge Song partly dissenting, grants the 11 applicants who have victim status in the Darfur Situation the right to participate in the pending appeals by the Office of the Prosecutor and the Office of Public Counsel for the Defence regarding whether the Pre-Trial Chamber may grant applicants a procedural status of “victim” at the situation stage of proceedings before the Court.
13 June 2008: Trial Chamber I renders a decision indefinitely staying the proceedings against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo on the ground that a fair trial was impossible in light of the Prosecution’s inability to disclose potentially exculpatory documents obtained under conditions of confidentiality.
11 June 2008: During a public hearing in the Lubanga case, Trial Chamber I announces that the trial will not commence on 23 June 2008, as planned.
10 June 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I issues decision on 97 victims’ applications to participate in the Katanga & Ngudjolo case. Fifty-one of the applications are granted.
24 May 2008: Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, who is believed to be a national of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is arrested by Belgian authorities following a warrant of arrest issued under seal by the International Criminal Court. Bemba, who is President and Commander in Chief of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo, is alleged to be criminally responsible for four counts of war crimes and two counts of crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the Central African Republic from 25 October 2002 to 15 March 2003.
28 April 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I unseals the warrant of arrest against Congolese national Bosco Ntaganda, who is also known as “the Terminator.” Ntaganda, who is still at large, is alleged to have committed the war crimes of enlistment and conscription of children under the age of 15 and of using them to participate actively in hostilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
28 April 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I postpones the confirmation of charges hearing in the joint case against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui from 21 May 2008 to 27 June 2008.
17 April 2008: Silvana Arbia is sworn-in as the Registrar of the International Criminal Court.
14 March 2008: Madagascar deposits its instrument of ratification to the Rome Statute, which will enter into force for Madagascar on 1 June 2008, bringing the total number of States Parties to the Rome Statute to 106.
13 March 2008: Trial Chamber I postpones the starting date of the Lubanga trial from 31 March 2008 to 23 June 2008.
10 March 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I issues decision joining the cases of The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and The Prosecutor v. Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui.The hearing on the confirmation of the charges in the joint case is scheduled to start on 21 May 2008.
28 February 2008: Judges of the ICC elect Silvana Arbia of Italy as Registrar of the International Criminal Court for a five-year term.
26 February 2008: Trial Chamber I grants the Prosecution and the Defense leave to appeal certain aspects of the Chamber’s 18 January 2008 decision on victim participation in the Lubanga case.
13 February 2008: The Registrar of the International Criminal Court, Bruno Cathala, submits his resignation to the President of the Court, to take effect on 9 April 2008.
11 February 2008: Congolese national Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui makes his first appearance before Pre-Trial Chamber I. The arrest warrant issued against Ngudjolo was read aloud and the Chamber satisfied itself that Ngudjolo was informed of his rights under the Rome Statute, including the right to apply for interim release pending trial.
7 February 2008: Congolese national Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, who was arrested by the Congolese authorities yesterday, is surrendered to the custody of the ICC. Ngudjolo is alleged to have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
30 January 2008: Pre-Trial Chamber I postpones the confirmation hearing in the Katanga case, which was provisionally scheduled to start on 28 February 2008. The Chamber explained that the delays were due to outstanding issues relating to disclosure of evidence from the Prosecution to the Defense.
18 January 2008: Trial Chamber I issues decision regarding victim participation in the trial phase of the Lubanga case. A majority of the Chamber, Judge Blattmann dissenting, held that, in order to meet the criteria for participation in a case, a victim need only show that he or she is affected by an issue arising during the trial; the victim need not show that he or she suffered harm as a result of the specific charges confirmed against the accused. The Trial Chamber also held that it is possible for victims participating in a trial to lead evidence pertaining to the guilt or innocence of the accused and to challenge the admissibility of relevant of evidence.
4 December 2007: The Assembly of States Parties elects Bruno Cotte (France), Daniel Nsereko (Uganda), and Fumiko Siaga (Japan) to fill judicial vacancies arising from the resignations of Maureen Harding Clark (Ireland) on 10 December 2006, Karl Hudson-Phillips (Trinidad and Tobago), effective 30 September 2007, and Claude Jorda (France), effective 12 August 2007.
30 November - 14 December 2007: The Assembly of States Parties holds is annual meeting in New York. Items on the agenda include elections to fill judicial vacancies, discussions concerning the Court's permanent premises, adoption of the budget for the sixth financial year, and reports from committees and working groups.
22 October 2007: Germain Katanga appears before Pre-Trial Chamber I. A confirmation of chages hearing is scheduled for Fenruary, 2008.
17 October 2007: In the Democratic Republic of Congo situation, Germain Katanga is surrendered by Congolese authorities and taken into custody in The Hague. The warrant of arrest for Katanga, the alleged commander of the Force de résistance patriotique en Ituri [Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri] (FRPI), lists three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes. He is the ICC's second suspect in custody.
1 October 2007: The Rome Statute enters into force in Japan, bringing the number of States Parties to the Rome Statue to 105.
14 June 2007: Serge Brammertz, Deputy Prosecutor for Investigations, submits his resignation to the Court.
22 May 2007: The Office of the Prosecutor opens an investigation into crimes of sexual violence occurring in the Central African Republic between late 2002 and early 2003. In a press release, Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo states, “The allegations of sexual crimes are detailed and substantiated. The information we have now suggests that the rape of civilians was committed in numbers that cannot be ignored under international law.” The investigation is the first in which the Court will focus primarily on allegations of sexual crimes, rather than killings.
9 May 2007: Citing issues of poor health, Judge Claude Jorda resigns from the ICC. He was assigned to the Pre-Trial Division and was a member of Pre-Trial Chamber I.Judge Jorda served as presiding judge in the case of the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo.
2 May 2007: In the Darfur situation, the Pre-Trial Chamber issues warrants of arrest for crimes against humanity and war crimes for Ahmad Muhammad Harun, former Minister of State for the Interior of the Government of the Sudan, and Ali Kushayb, a leader of the Janjaweed militia.
22 March 2007: In the Kony et al. case, the Prosecutor requests the Pre-Trial Chamber to order “that the warrant of arrest issued for Raska Lukwiya be withdrawn and rendered without effect because of the changed circumstance of Lukwiya’s death.”
14 March 2007: Judge Karl T. Hudson-Phillips (Trinidad and Tobago) submits his resignation from the Trial Division “for personal reasons.” His resignation will take effect on 30 September 2007.
27 February 2007: In the Darfur situation, the Prosecutor presents evidence to the Pre-Trial Chamber showing that Ahmad Muhammad Harun, former Minister of State for the Interior of the Government of the Sudan, and Ali Kushayb, a leader of the Janjaweed militia, jointly committed crimes against the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, including 51 counts of alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes, and requests a summons directing them to appear before the Court for initial proceedings. Although Ali Kushayb is also being investigated by the government of Sudan, the Prosecutor has determined that those proceedings do not address the same incidents or conduct that are the subject of the ICC case.
29 January 2007: In the Lubanga case, the Pre-Trial Chamber confirms the three war crimes charges against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and refers the case for trial — the first scheduled to be held before the ICC. The three-judge chamber finds “substantial grounds to believe” that Lubanga is responsible for enlisting children under the age of fifteen, conscripting children under the age of fifteen, and using children under the age of fifteen to participate actively in hostilities.