Ntaganda case: Trial to open on 7 July 2015

Situation: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Case: The Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda

Today, 16 June 2015, Trial Chamber VI of the International Criminal Court (ICC) scheduled the opening statements in the trial of Mr Bosco Ntaganda for 7 and 8 July 2015, with a possible extension to 9 July 2015.

The opening statements in this trial shall take place at the seat of the Court, in The Hague (the Netherlands), in accordance with the ICC Presidency's decision of 15 June 2015. The start of the prosecution's presentation of evidence is scheduled on the week of 24 August 2015.

The trial is conducted by Trial Chamber VI, composed of Presiding Judge Robert Fremr, Judge Kuniko Ozaki and Judge Chang-ho Chung.

Order scheduling the opening statements

Background: Bosco Ntaganda, former alleged Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Force Patriotiques pour la Libération du Congo [Patriotic Force for the Liberation of Congo] (FPLC), is accused of 13 counts of war crimes (murder and attempted murder; attacking civilians; rape; sexual slavery of civilians; pillaging; displacement of civilians; attacking protected objects; destroying the enemy's property; and rape, sexual slavery, enlistment and conscription of child soldiers under the age of fifteen years and using them to participate actively in hostilities) and five crimes against humanity (murder and attempted murder; rape; sexual slavery; persecution; forcible transfer of population) allegedly committed in Ituri, DRC, in 2002-2003. Mr Ntaganda is in the Court's custody.

For more information on this case, click here

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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