THE HAGUE (AFP)- Ivorian ex-president Laurent Gbagbo bears
responsibility for some of the worst crimes committed during a bloody
post-election standoff in the west African nation two years ago, the International
Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said on Tuesday.
responsibility for some of the worst crimes committed during a bloody
post-election standoff in the west African nation two years ago, the International
Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor said on Tuesday.
“We will show that Mr Gbagbo and forces under his control are
responsible for the death, rapes, serious injuries to, and arbitrary detention
of countless law abiding citizens,” Fatou Bensouda told judges at the
Hague-based ICC.
responsible for the death, rapes, serious injuries to, and arbitrary detention
of countless law abiding citizens,” Fatou Bensouda told judges at the
Hague-based ICC.
Gbagbo, 67, faced a first day of hearings after which the ICC’s
judges will decide whether there is enough evidence to try him for
masterminding post-vote violence between late-November 2010 and mid-May 2011,
which the UN said claimed some 3,000 lives.
judges will decide whether there is enough evidence to try him for
masterminding post-vote violence between late-November 2010 and mid-May 2011,
which the UN said claimed some 3,000 lives.
“For these brutal, revolting acts, the prosecution charges Mr
Gbagbo with crimes against humanity and we will request the Chamber to commit
Mr Gbagbo to trial for these crimes,” Bensouda said.
Gbagbo with crimes against humanity and we will request the Chamber to commit
Mr Gbagbo to trial for these crimes,” Bensouda said.
Presiding judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi opened the
confirmation of charges hearing while Gbagbo, the first former head of state
before the court, greeted journalists and supporters in the gallery with a
wave.
confirmation of charges hearing while Gbagbo, the first former head of state
before the court, greeted journalists and supporters in the gallery with a
wave.
Wearing a dark blue suit and a light blue tie, the former
strongman sat in court in apparently good health. He listened intently as the
charges were read, with his hands folded in front of him.
strongman sat in court in apparently good health. He listened intently as the
charges were read, with his hands folded in front of him.
The court has given Gbagbo the option of following proceedings
via video link because he has an unspecified health problem and is also holding
shorter sessions for that reason.
via video link because he has an unspecified health problem and is also holding
shorter sessions for that reason.
Gbagbo’s lawyer Dov Jacobs argued that the case should be tried
in the Ivory Coast, noting that “before anything else, he is a man who is
presumed innocent.”
in the Ivory Coast, noting that “before anything else, he is a man who is
presumed innocent.”
He faces four counts of crimes against humanity for fomenting a
wave of violence which swept the Ivory Coast after he refused to concede defeat
in November 2010 presidential polls.
wave of violence which swept the Ivory Coast after he refused to concede defeat
in November 2010 presidential polls.
He has denied the charges against him.
Bensouda called Gbagbo “a president who abandoned the political,
electoral, democratic process, preferring to resort to violence and crime to
stay in power.”
electoral, democratic process, preferring to resort to violence and crime to
stay in power.”
“In the space of just a few days, Ivory Coast went from being a
country where ordinary law-abiding citizens went en masse to the polls to elect
their president to a theatre of extreme violence that plunged the country once
again into chaos and divided its citizens,” she said.
country where ordinary law-abiding citizens went en masse to the polls to elect
their president to a theatre of extreme violence that plunged the country once
again into chaos and divided its citizens,” she said.
Almost five months of fighting followed, ravaging the world’s
largest cocoa producer and leaving thousands dead, many of them perceived
supporters of election winner and current Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
largest cocoa producer and leaving thousands dead, many of them perceived
supporters of election winner and current Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.
In a sign tensions are still high in the West African nation,
around 400 Gbagbo loyalists staged a protest in front of the The Hague-based
ICC on Tuesday, calling for their leader to be freed.
around 400 Gbagbo loyalists staged a protest in front of the The Hague-based
ICC on Tuesday, calling for their leader to be freed.
On Saturday, riot police in Ivory Coast fired tear gas to
disperse another pro-Gbagbo demonstration outside the commercial capital
Abidjan.
disperse another pro-Gbagbo demonstration outside the commercial capital
Abidjan.
In The Hague, prosecutors and the defence are to spend just over
a week arguing their cases before a three-judge bench, who will then decide if
there are “substantial grounds to believe that Gbagbo committed the crimes” and
should be charged.
a week arguing their cases before a three-judge bench, who will then decide if
there are “substantial grounds to believe that Gbagbo committed the crimes” and
should be charged.
The prosecution says Gbagbo masterminded a plan to “stay in
power by all means… through carefully planned, sustained and deadly attacks”
against Ouattara supporters.
power by all means… through carefully planned, sustained and deadly attacks”
against Ouattara supporters.
Between November 28, 2010 and May 8, 2011 Gbagbo’s forces killed
between 706 and 1,059 people and raped more than 35 women, prosecutors say.
between 706 and 1,059 people and raped more than 35 women, prosecutors say.
In one instance, some 80 people were massacred when perceived
Ouattara supporters were attacked in the northwestern Abidjan suburb of
Yopougon a day after Gbagbo’s arrest, prosecutors said.
Ouattara supporters were attacked in the northwestern Abidjan suburb of
Yopougon a day after Gbagbo’s arrest, prosecutors said.
His supporters in turn have accused Ouattara’s camp of
practising “victor’s justice” as many of the former president’s backers are now
behind bars — including Gbagbo’s wife Simone, who is also wanted by the ICC —
while none of those close to the Ouattara regime have been arrested despite
accusations of rights abuses.
practising “victor’s justice” as many of the former president’s backers are now
behind bars — including Gbagbo’s wife Simone, who is also wanted by the ICC —
while none of those close to the Ouattara regime have been arrested despite
accusations of rights abuses.
“Holding Gbagbo to account is a critical step for victims in
Ivory Coast,” Human Rights Watch’s senior international justice counsel
Param-Preet Singh said in a statement.
Ivory Coast,” Human Rights Watch’s senior international justice counsel
Param-Preet Singh said in a statement.
“But the slow pace of investigations against pro-Ouattara forces
feeds the perception that the ICC is going along with victor’s justice.”
feeds the perception that the ICC is going along with victor’s justice.”
