25.11.11 - WEEKLY SUMMARY - OCAMPO IN LIBYA, BIZIMANA'S SPECIAL DEPOSITION HEARINGS BEGIN

Arusha, November 25, 2011 (FH) - While on a visit in Libya, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno Ocampo  said he was in favor of trying Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in his home country. At the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), special deposition hearings began in the case of former Defence Minister Augustin Bizimana.

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ICC

Ocampo in Libya:   While in Libya, Luis Moreno Ocampo, acknowledged "the primacy of the Libyan justice" over the international tribunal to try Saïf al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the former slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. However, the new authorities in Tripoli have to persuade ICC Judges that Libya has the logistical capacity and the political will to guarantee a fair trial.

Election of new ICC prosecutor postponed:  The Assembly of States Parties scheduled to elect the new ICC's prosecutor in New York this week failed to do so and the event was postponed to November 30, 2011. Four candidates are contesting the post including, Fatou Bensouda (The Gambia), currently the Deputy Prosecutor at the ICC, Andrew Cayley (United Kingdom) currently the International Co-Prosecutor of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Mohammed Chande Othman (Tanzania), currently Chief Justice of Tanzania and Robert Petit (Canada) who is currently Counsel to the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Sections of the Department of Justice in Canada.

ICTR

Special deposition hearings in Bizimana's case commence: the ICTR commenced Monday  hearings to preserve evidence in the case of one of its most wanted genocide-suspects and former Rwandan Defence Minister, Augustin Bizimana. The accused is charged with conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, as alternative count, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Such special hearings are being conducted to preserve the prosecution's evidence for future use in case the genocide-suspect is arrested.

Announcement of Judgment in the MRND case:  the tribunal announced Monday that it would deliver its judgment in the case of two former Rwandan MRND ruling party leaders in 1994 on December 21, 2011. The accused are President of the party, Matthieu Ngirumpatse and his Vice President,  Edouard Karemera. They are charged with seven counts including genocide, complicity in genocide, incitement to commit genocide and crimes against humanity, allegedly committed by members of their party's youth wing, the Interahamwe.

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