\n As the International Criminal Court (ICC) rules on an appeal against former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo's acquittal of crimes against humanity, here is a timeline of the case since his arrest a decade ago.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2010: Contested election -\n<\/p>\n
\n A presidential election finally takes place in Ivory coast in 2010 after six postponements since 2005.\n<\/p>\n
\n The constitutional council declares incumbent Laurent Gbagbo victor but the electoral commission says the winner is his old rival Alassane Ouattara, a former prime minister from the mainly Muslim north. The United Nations says Ouattara won.\n<\/p>\n
\n In 2011, after four months of tension and unsuccessful mediation efforts, forces loyal to Ouattara in the north launch an offensive against the army and win control of much of the country.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2011: Gbagbo arrest -\n<\/p>\n
\n French and UN soldiers deploy in the economic capital Abidjan to prevent the use of heavy weapons.\n<\/p>\n
\n After 10 days of fighting in the city, Gbagbo is arrested by Ouattara's troops. More than 3,000 people die during the crisis.\n<\/p>\n
\n In May 2011 Ouattara is sworn in as president.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2016: In the dock -\n<\/p>\n
\n Gbagbo is transferred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague in November, and in 2014 he is joined by his close associate Charles Ble Goude.\n<\/p>\n
\n The trial of both men begins on January 28, 2016, making Gbagbo the first former head of state to stand trial in The Hague.\n<\/p>\n
\n Gbagbo and Ble Goude are accused of four counts of crimes against humanity over the 2010-11 bloodshed. They plead not guilty.\n<\/p>\n
\n Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady, also stands trial in Abidjan and is jailed. But in 2018 Ouattara amnesties her along with some 800 people in a spirit of national reconciliation.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2019: Shock verdict -\n<\/p>\n
\n In a stunning blow to the war crimes tribunal, judges at The Hague in January 2019 acquit Gbagbo and order his immediate release, and that of Ble Goude.\n<\/p>\n
\n Belgium agrees to host Gbagbo after he is released under strict conditions, including his return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal, which will be held on March 31.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2020: Ouattara wins again -\n<\/p>\n
\n The ICC in May 2020 announces Gbagbo is permitted to leave Belgium under certain conditions as he insists he intends to return to Ivory Coast.\n<\/p>\n
\n Technically he could be jailed on his return, having been sentenced in absentia to a 20-year term for \"looting\" the local branch of the Central Bank of the West African States during the 2010 crisis.\n<\/p>\n
\n Ahead of the presidential election in October, Ivory Coast's constitutional court rejects some 40 candidacies, including Gbagbo's. Ouattara wins the vote.\n<\/p>\n
\n - 2021: Gbagbo comeback? -\n<\/p>\n
\n But Gbagbo's Ivorian Popular Front party returns to the ballot papers in legislative elections in March. It had boycotted all votes since his ICC arrest.\n<\/p>\n
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As the International Criminal Court (ICC) rules on an appeal against former Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo's acquittal of crimes against humanity, here is a timeline of the case since his arrest a decade ago. - 2010: Contested election - A presidential election finally takes place in Ivory coast in 2010 after six postponements since […]<\/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-75442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n