ICC - ICC Registry officials meet with Lord’s Resistance Army delegation
Press Release
ICC Registry officials meet with Lord’s Resistance Army delegation
ICC-CPI-20080310-PR293
On 10 March 2008, a delegation of the Ugandan armed group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), will meet with officials of the Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to discuss procedural issues related to the legal representation of those accused before the ICC, as well as procedure and time limits for the filing of documentation and materials with the Registry.
As a neutral organ that facilitates fair trial, the Registry does not engage in substantive discussions with any of the parties on the merits of cases before the Court. Rather, the Registry is responsible for defence counsel matters and for receiving and distributing all documents and materials used in proceedings before the Court.
The Registry is also responsible for providing support, assistance and information to defence counsel, including the necessary facilities for the direct performance of counsel’s duties. The Registry maintains a list of counsel from which a person may freely choose his/her counsel or other counsel who meet the required criteria and is willing to be included on the list.
On 13 October 2005, Pre-Trial Chamber II unsealed five arrest warrants against LRA leaders for Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes committed in Uganda since July 2002. The Chamber concluded that, “there are reasonable grounds to believe” that Joseph KONY, Vincent OTTI, Okot ODHIAMBO, Dominic ONGWEN and Raska LUKWIYA, “ordered the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court”. One of those individuals, Raska Lukwiya, has since been confirmed dead and proceedings against him have been discontinued. The warrants of the other four remain outstanding.
For further information, please contact Ms Jelena Vukasinovic: +31 (0)70 515 8094 / Mob: +31 (0)650295738 or at [email protected]