News and Highlights

Official Opening of the ICC Permanent Premises on 19 April 2016 08/04/2016 His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands will officially open the permanent premises of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court") during a ceremony hosted by the ICC President, Judge Silvia Fernández, and H.E. Mr Sidiki Kaba, President of the Assembly of States Parties. H.E. Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, will also attend the event that will be held on Tuesday, 19 April 2016, from 15:00 to 16:30 (The Hague local time) at the seat of the Court in The Hague (Netherlands).

ICC Presidency approves the prosecution of Mr Germain Katanga by national authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 07/04/2016 Today, 7 April 2016, the Presidency of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court") approved the prosecution of Mr Germain Katanga by the Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC") at the request of the DRC authorities. The key factor in the Presidency's Decision was that the allegations against Mr Katanga in the domestic proceedings in the DRC are not the same for which he was tried before the ICC.

Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding Trial Chamber’s decision to vacate charges against Messrs William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang without prejudice to their prosecution in the future 06/04/2016 Yesterday, a majority of the Judges of Trial Chamber V (A) of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or the "Court") vacated the charges against Messrs William Samuel Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang.

Ruto and Sang case: ICC Trial Chamber V(A) terminates the case without prejudice to re-prosecution in future 05/04/2016 Situation: Republic of Kenya Case: The Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang Today, 5 April 2016, Trial Chamber V(A) of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "Court") decided, by majority, Judge Olga Herrera Carbuccia dissenting, that the case against William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang is to be terminated. According to the majority, this decision does not preclude new prosecution in the future either at the ICC or in a national jurisdiction. This decision may be subject to appeal.

Message from the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, calling for defection by LRA fighters 01/04/2016 My Office has received information from communities in Northern Uganda and from Lord’s Resistance Army (“LRA”) fighters who have returned from the bush that many within the ranks of the LRA are still being misled by Joseph Kony and other senior LRA commanders that you will either be imprisoned like Dominic Ongwen, or even tortured or killed by the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”), if you surrender and try to return home. This is not true, and it is a complete fallacy to suggest that the ICC engages in torture or killing of any individual.