Katanga case: Appeals Chamber to issue appeals judgment on Order for Reparations on 8 March 2018

On 8 March 2018 at 15:00 (The Hague local time), the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will hold a public hearing in the case The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga at the seat of the Court in The Hague (Netherlands). The Chamber will deliver its judgment regarding the appeals against the order for reparations, filed respectively by Mr Germain Katanga, the Legal Representative of Victims and the Office of Public Counsel for Victims. The Appeals Chamber in this appeal is composed of Judge Howard Morrison, Presiding Judge, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, Judge Sanji Mmasenono Monageng, Judge Christine Van den Wyngaert and Judge Piotr Hofmański.

Scheduling Order for the judgment on the appeals against the order of Trial Chamber II of 24 March 2017 entitled "Order for Reparations pursuant to Article 75 of the Statute"

Background: On 7 March 2014, Mr Katanga was found guilty as an accessory on one count of a crime against humanity (murder) and four counts of war crimes (murder, attacking a civilian population, destruction of property and pillaging). On 23 May 2014, he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. His sentence was later reduced and was completed on 18 January 2016.

On 24 March 2017, Trial Chamber II issued an Order for Reparations in the amount of $1,000,000 USD against Mr Katanga pursuant to article 75 of the Statute (hereinafter "Order for Reparations"). Therein, the Trial Chamber ordered awards for reparations to 297 identified victims, comprised of an individual symbolic compensation award of $250 to each victim and of four collective awards to all victims, in the form of (1) housing assistance, (2) education assistance, (3) income generating activities, and (4) psychological rehabilitation. The Trial Chamber instructed the Trust Fund to submit a draft implementation plan tasking the Trust Fund with implementing the individual and collective awards contained in the Order for Reparations.

In light of Mr Katanga's indigence, the Trial Chamber had requested that the Trust Fund's Board of Directors consider complementing the payment of both the individual and collective awards ordered against Mr Katanga. In May 2017, the Trust Fund's Board decided to provide $1 million for the reparations awarded to victims in the Katanga case covering the full amount of the costs of the reparations awards ordered by the Trial Chamber. The Board also welcomed a voluntary contribution of €200,000 by the Government of The Netherlands, which included earmarked funding to cover the cost of individual awards.

For further information on the case, click here. 

Webstreaming of the hearing

The hearing can be followed live on the ICC website at: http://player.cdn.tv1.eu/statics/66005/icc.html

Attending the hearing

• Members of the diplomatic corps, NGOs and other members of the public can request attendance via email to: [email protected]. Attendees must present a valid passport or valid ID with a photo at the main entrance of the Court (at: Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK The Hague).

• Journalists wishing to cover the hearing can request accreditation via email to: [email protected]. All journalists must present a valid press card, and a valid passport or valid ID with a photo, at the main entrance of the Court (at: Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK The Hague).

Please note that individuals who do not confirm their attendance in advance cannot be guaranteed access to the hearing. In order to avoid delays in accessing the building, those attending are advised to arrive one hour before the hearing starts.

ICC Media Centre

For media representatives wishing to use the Court's media facilities, the Media Centre will open at 08:30. The ICC Media Centre is located in the building's 'Court Tower'. It is composed of hot desk areas, which can sit up to 104 people, and two interview rooms. The Media Centre distributes the video and embedded audio of the hearing, via HD-SDI with a female BNC connection. Journalists wishing to connect to this should bring compatible equipment and a BNC cable. Power is provided (European plug). Wi-Fi connection is available in the Media Centre.

AV materials

Filming or photography is strictly prohibited inside the Court building, apart from the interview rooms and the Media Centre area.

Images of the hearing will be available for download in video (MPEG-4) and audio (MPEG-3) format.

Parking facilities

Media representatives can use the ICC's Visitor Parking.

SNG vehicles

The ICC Parking includes an area for SNG vehicles. BNC connections are available and the video format is HD-SDI with embedded Audio (8 dual mono pairs): Channel 1 – Floor language (international audio); Channel 2 - English interpretation; Channel 3 - French interpretation; Channel 4 - 8 - Other languages, or if no interpretation then Floor language will be sent.

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: [email protected]

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