\n International Criminal Court (ICC) officials have arrived in Guinea to monitor preparations for a much-delayed trial over a massacre that left more than 150 people dead.\n<\/p>\n
\n In September 2009, troops under then junta chief Moussa Dadis Camara opened fire on opposition supporters rallying at a stadium in the West African country's capital Conakry. At least 157 people were killed, while 109 women were raped.\n<\/p>\n
\n An investigation wound up in 2017, identifying a dozen suspects, including Camara.\n<\/p>\n
\n But despite repeated promises by Camara's elected successor, President Alpha Conde, the trial has been repeatedly delayed, sparking criticism from rights campaigners.\n<\/p>\n
\n Guinea's military junta, which toppled Conde last September, has ordered the trial to start before the massacre's 13th anniversary on September 28, although no date has yet been announced.\n<\/p>\n
\n ICC officials including deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang arrived on Monday night.\n<\/p>\n
\n Niang said the trip was prompted by junta chief Colonel Mamady Doubouya's instruction to his justice minister to launch the trial before the anniversary.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"It was important for us to be here to see the state of trial preparations,\" Niang, a Senegalese, told reporters.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"Our wish is that this trial takes place so that the ICC is not required to exercise its authority. We expect a fair trial to be held that will respect the rights of the defence and civil plaintiffs,\" Niang said.\n<\/p>\n
\n \"We are here to help the process, we will do monitoring to see if everything goes well. We will also offer a sort of expertise and experience to ensure the trial's success,\" he added.\n<\/p>\n
\n During their visit, the ICC officials will meet with Guinean judicial authorities and victims' groups, a Guinean judicial source said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International Criminal Court (ICC) officials have arrived in Guinea to monitor preparations for a much-delayed trial over a massacre that left more than 150 people dead. In September 2009, troops under then junta chief Moussa Dadis Camara opened fire on opposition supporters rallying at a stadium in the West African country's capital Conakry. At least […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-106102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n