ICC Prosecutor persists regarding his request for an Arrest Warrant against Sylvestre Mudacumura

Today, the Office of the Prosecutor is submitting an amended application to ICC Judges for an arrest warrant against Sylvestre Mucadumura, for 5 counts of crimes against humanity (murder, inhumane acts, rape, torture and persecution) and 9 counts of war crimes (attack against a civilian population, murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, rape, torture, destruction of property, pillaging and outrage upon personal dignity). The new application follows ICC Judges’ decision to dismiss a previous application, considering that this application fell short of the proper level of specificity.

The Prosecution considers that Sylvestre Mudacumura is Supreme Commander of the FDLR-FOCA, one of the most active militias in the Kivu Provinces of the DRC, and is allegedly responsible for a campaign of violence targeting civilians in these provinces.

ICC judges have already issued one arrest warrant for Bosco Ntaganda, leader of the CNDP militia, another armed group actives in the Kivu provinces. The Prosecution has also sought to add new charges against him on May 14, 2012. Both these men lead armed and dangerous militias and their arrest can lead to stopping the crimes and bringing justice to the populations they continue to afflict.