International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 16 April 2016]

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International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 16 April 2016]
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08/04/2016
Official Opening of the ICC Permanent Premises on 19 April 2016
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will officially open the permanent premises of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) during a ceremony hosted by the ICC President, Judge Silvia Fernández, and H.E. Mr Sidiki Kaba, President of the Assembly of States Parties. H.E. Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, will also attend the event that will be held on Tuesday, 19 April 2016, from 15:00 to 16:30 (The Hague local time) at the seat of the Court in The Hague (Netherlands).
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06/04/2016
Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding Trial Chamber’s decision to vacate charges against Messrs William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang without prejudice to their prosecution in the future
[2007-2008 election violence in Kenya]
…The Chamber declined to acquit the accused due to the special circumstances of this case. In so doing, the Chamber endorsed the Prosecution’s position that this case has been severely undermined by witness interference and politicisation of the judicial process. The decision further noted that other evidence may have been available to the Prosecution “had it been able to prosecute the case in a different climate, less hostile to the Prosecution, its witnesses and the Court in general.”

The Chamber made it clear that their decision is without prejudice to the presumption of innocence or the Prosecution bringing the case on the basis of the same charges in the future, or in a different form, in light of new evidence.

We regret that due to deliberate and concerted efforts to derail this case through witness interference, the Judges have been prevented from determining the guilt or innocence of the Accused on the full merits of the case. What is also troubling is that the onslaught against this case has – for now – denied the victims of the 2007-2008 election violence in Kenya the justice they so rightly deserve….