ICTR
UN Tribunal hands over to Rwandan authorities Pastor Uwinkindi: On Thursday, April 19, Pastor Jean Uwinkindi was moved from the Tribunal’s detention facility in Arusha, Tanzania to Rwandafor trial. The 61-year-old pastor touched Rwanda’s soil at 5.40 p.m. after disembarking a commercial RwandAir flight at Kigali International Airport.His effective transfer comes after the Appeals Chamber dismissed his last ditch plea, seeking for stay of the referral. In a motion filed Tuesday, Uwinkindi cited recent developments in the case of Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire before the High Court in Kigali showing he would not get a fair trial. But the Chamber ruled that unlike other trials in Rwanda,Uwinkindi's case would be monitored under the supervision of the ICTR and would benefit from additional guarantees.
ICC
Luis Moreno Ocompo arrives in Libya for Gaddafi’s son case: Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo arrived in Tripoli on Wednesday as part of an investigation mission into charges against Saif al-Islam.He denied going to Libya to make a deal with local authorities on where the trial should be held. ICC Judges have ruled that Libya had to make arrangements to hand over the suspect, but Tripoli is insisting to try him on its soil. He is wanted by the court for crimes against humanity.
NEXT WEEK
There will be delivery of judgment in the case of former Liberian President Charles Taylor at the Special Court for SierraLeone on Thursday (April 26) and resumption of trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba before the International Criminal Court (ICC)the same day. In Bemba’s case, judges are expected to receive testimonyfrom victims. There will also be resumption of special hearings to preserve evidence for the most wanted fugitive, Félicien Kabuga, at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) on Monday (April 23). During the session,it will be a turn for defence to call its witnesses following the conclusion of prosecution’s testimony on October 28, 2011. The special hearings arebeing conducted to preserve evidence for future use if the fugitive were to be arrested.
FK/NI/GF