Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the situation in Guinea: “Construction of the new courtroom in Conakry is an important step towards holding long-awaited trial and to see justice done”
I welcome the recent news on the official start of construction, within the premises of the Appeals Court of Conakry, of a new courtroom to host the trial of the events of 28 September 2009 at the Conakry stadium, which is the focus of my Office's ongoing preliminary examination in the situation in Guinea.
This is an important step forward in the implementation process towards holding this long-awaited trial. In this regard, I note with appreciation the statement by the Minister of Justice of Guinea, Mr Mohamed Lamine Fofana, that the new courtroom should be operational in time for the trial to begin on the announced date of June 2020, in line with commitments made by his Government during my Office's mission to Conakry, in October 2019.
With this date now fast approaching, it is vital that domestic authorities and all other concerned stakeholders proceed swiftly with the remaining necessary material preparations and step up efforts to ensure that the trial begins within the announced timeline.
The victims of the Conakry Stadium events deserve to see justice done without further delay. In the upcoming months, in accordance with its status as a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Guinea can and must demonstrate its will and ability to finalise its efforts to address impunity for the horrific events of September 2009.
My Office will continue to closely follow and support Guinean authorities' efforts towards this goal in conformity with the principle of complementarity. To further this objective, my Office looks forward to its continued engagement with the authorities, including through its regular missions to Conakry.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations in multiple situations within the ICC's jurisdiction, namely in Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; the Central African Republic (two distinct situations); Kenya; Libya; Côte d'Ivoire; Mali; Georgia and Burundi. The Office is also currently conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Colombia; Guinea; Iraq/UK; the Philippines; Nigeria; Ukraine; and Venezuela.
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