Central African Republic: VPRS training session for local intermediaries assisting victims

From 12 to 16 November 2012, the Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS) of the Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) organised a training session in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), to strengthen the capacities of local intermediaries who help victims in order to bring them closer to the ICC and in particular to enhance communication with victims.

The intermediaries with whom VPRS is in contact play a key role in enabling victims to exercise their rights in the proceedings before the Court.

The intermediaries include members of human rights organisations and local associations, teachers, lawyers and other intellectuals. They are volunteers in the areas of the CAR affected by the crimes being prosecuted by the ICC – Bangui, Damara, Sibut, Bossembélé, Bossemptélé, Bozoum, Bossangoa and Moungoumba – who assist victims in their communities by informing them of the judicial developments before the Court and by helping them in their efforts to participate in the justice process.

One of the main purposes of the seminar was to enhance the capacities of those involved with victims to interact with them, taking account of the complexity of the proceedings before the ICC and the victims’ psychological state and expectations.

The event was attended by the Chief of the Victims Participation and Reparations Section, Ms Fiona McKay, who praised the participants for their contributions and their commitment to victims.

In the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean Pierre Bemba Gombo, 5229 victims have been authorised to participate in the proceedings via their lawyers, Ms Marie-Edith Douzima and Mr Assingambi Zarambaud.