First ICC Trial Delayed Until June

The International Criminal Court announced late last week that its first trial, previously scheduled to commence at the end of this month, will instead begin on June 23.^[1] The postponement reportedly arises from prosecutorial delay in providing evidence to defense council until the security of witnesses could be assured.^[2]

The accused in this first ICC trial is Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, founder and former leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots,^[3] who reportedly forced hundreds of children to serve as soldiers during military operations in the Ituri region of the Congo from July of 2002 through December of 2003.^[4] Using children in military operations, known as conscription, is a war crime punishable under ICC mandate.

The case marks the first trial for the ICC, which was established in 2002 by the Rome Statute to be the first permanent court to try instances of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.^[5] The Court is currently investigating alleged violations in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and the Darfur region of the Sudan.^[6] Two other Congolese suspected of war crimes, Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, have also been surrendered to the Court for prosecution. Their trial dates have not been set.^[7]

International Crimes Blog has featured extensive coverage of the Lubanga prosecution, which can be found here.

__________________

[1] ICC Pressroom Release, ICC-CPI-20080313-PR297-ENG; March 13, 2007 (available at www.icc-cpi.int).

[2] Associated Press, International Criminal Court to try Congolese warlord in June on child soldier charges, International Herald Tribune, March 13, 2007 (available at www.iht.com).

[3] ICC Pressroom Release.

[4] Associated Press.

[5] ICC About the Court, available at http://www.icc-cpi.int/about.html.

[6] ICC Situations and Cases, available at http://www.icc-cpi.int/cases.html.

[7] Id.