ICC
Preliminary examination into an Israeli army attack: Following a request by the Comores, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced Tuesday she is opening a preliminary investigation into an Israeli army raid in May 2010 on a humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip. The flotilla, which was attempting to break an Israeli blockade of Gaza, was boarded by an Israeli commando. Nine Turks on board the ship Mavi Marmara were killed. The Mavi Marmara is registered in the Comores.
Africa urged to support the Court: About 60 African and international human rights organizations on Wednesday urged African countries to support the ICC, which they have accused of being manipulated by the West. The call came on the eve of a special summit of the African Union (AU) on May 26 and 27 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The summit will mark 50 years since the creation of the Organization of African Unity, the predecessor of the AU.
RWANDA
First suspect extradited from Europe stays in custody: A Rwandan court on Wednesday granted a prosecutor’s request to keep in custody a genocide suspect extradited from Norway. Charles Bandora, the first genocide suspect sent to Rwanda by a European country, was handed over to Kigali on March 10 this year.
Uwinkindi trial set to start September 5: The trial of Pastor Jean Uwinkindi, the first genocide suspect transferred to Rwanda by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), is due to start on September 5. This follows a series of delays caused by defence submissions to the court.
ER/JC