Thursday, September 15, 2011

ICC in the Media, Update #44

This week the media has focused on a variety of ICC cases, investigations and potential situations. In the Kenya situation, the confirmation of charges hearings are still in full-swing. The first set of suspects are wrapping up their hearings while the second set are preparing for the commencement of theirs. Suspect Deputy Prime Minster Uhuru Kenyatta has decided to take the stand as a witness in his upcoming hearing. The hearing begins on September 21 and Kenyatta will take the stand starting on September 28. Reportedly, this week internet hackers accessed confidential information from Kenya witnesses' email accounts, including their identities. This comes two months after burglars stole computers containing sensitive information relating to the case from Kenya government offices. The incidents have been reported, and the witnesses who have been compromised are being monitored. In other news, the confirmation of charges hearing for Callixte Mbarushimana is set to begin tomorrow at The Hague. He has been charged with five counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes allegedly committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2009. In the Libya case, Interpol has issued a red notice (their highest alert) for Muammar Gaddafi, his son and his spy chief. Reportedly Interpol is working with the ICC and Libya's National Transitional Council to help apprehend the suspects as soon as possible. In other news, human rights lawyers and several victims of sexual abuse filed a complaint at the ICC last week against the Pope for reported crimes against humanity. The ICC's Office of the Prosecutor made a statement that it will examine the documents to determine whether the alleged crimes fall within the Court's jurisdiction. Photo credit: Al Jazeera.

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