ICC
The ICC Prosecutor plans to appeal a recent Court decision granting Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto the right to appear only at key stages of his trial, which is due to start on September 10. In a majority decision on June 18, the court decided to grant this exception in view of the “demanding functions of his office as Deputy Head of State of Kenya”. Ruto is to be tried with journalist Joshua Sang for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during post election violence in 2007-2008. “All accused should be equal before the law,” said Bensouda, requesting that the court grant her permission to appeal.
RWANDA/FRANCE
Three French NGOs said Tuesday they have filed a judicial plaint against Paul Barril, former head of the French gendarmerie, for “complicity in genocide”. The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH), the French League of Human Rights (LDH) and the association Survie filed the plaint Monday before the Paris crown court (Tribunal de grande instance). Among other things, the three organizations accuse Barril of having signed an agreement in the middle of the genocide with the Rwandan Prime Minister at the time, Jean Kambanda, to supply arms and training. Kambanda was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and is currently in jail in Mali.
Judicial authorities in Paris announced Thursday that the first trial will open on February 4 of a person accused of playing a role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Captain Pascal Simbikangwa, a former officer in the Rwandan intelligence service, is to be tried by a Paris court from February 4 to March 28, according to the announcement. Simbikangwa, 53, is accused of having distributed arms at roadblocks manned by Interahamwe extremist militia and encouraging them to commit massacres.
ER/JC