In February 2021 Dominic Ongwen was found guilty for a total of 61 crimes committed in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005, including crimes against humanity and war crimes. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Ongwen case is currently at the reparations stage of proceedings, which is expected to last several years. In February 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Judges ordered reparations for the victims who suffered harm as a result of the crimes for which Mr Ongwen was convicted.

WHAT ARE THE CRIMES FOR WHICH MR ONGWEN WAS CONVICTED?

• The crimes of attack against the civilian population, murder, attempted murder, torture, enslavement, outrages upon personal dignity, pillaging, destruction of property and persecution committed in the context of four attacks on the Internally Displaced Persons camps (“IDP camps”) of Pajule and Lapul (“Pajule”) (10 October 2003), Odek (29 April 2004), Lukodi (on or about 19 May 2004), and Abok (8 June 2004);

• Sexual and gender-based crimes: forced marriage, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enslavement, forced pregnancy, and outrages upon personal dignity perpetrated by Mr Ongwen or by members of the Sinia brigade under his command from at least 1 July 2002 until 31 December 2005; and

• The crime of conscripting children under the age of 15 into the Sinia brigade and using them to participate actively in hostilities from at least 1 July 2002 until 31 December 2005.

WHO ARE THE VICTIMS ENTITLED TO REPARATIONS IN THE ONGWEN CASE?

Direct and indirect victims of the crimes for which Mr Ongwen was convicted have the right to receive reparations. Victim participants in the Ongwen trial proceedings, as well as victims of the crimes for which Mr Ongwen was convicted who have not yet participated in ICC proceedings, are entitled to reparations.

Direct victims are:

1. Individuals who were residents or present in the four IDP camps below during the attacks for which Mr Ongwen was convicted:

   • Pajule and Lapul IDP Camp – on 10 October 2003
   • Odek IDP Camp – on 29 April 2004
   • Lukodi IDP Camp – on or about 19 May 2004
   • Abok IDP Camp – on 8 June 2004

2. Organisations or institutions that, in the IDP camp attacks listed above, sustained direct harm to their property dedicated to religion, education, art or science or charitable purposes, or to their historic monuments, hospitals and other places and objects for humanitarian purposes (see rule 85(b) of the ICC’s Rules of Procedure and Evidence).

3. Children under the age of 15 conscripted and/or used to take an active part in hostilities (i.e. fighting, serving as escorts or scouts, collecting and carrying pillaged goods from attack sites, etc.) by Mr Ongwen or the Sinia Brigade in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. 

4. Female victims of sexual and gender-based crimes who were abducted and distributed to Mr Ongwen or to any member of the Sinia brigade, in Northern Uganda between 1 July 2002 and 31 December 2005. 

5. Children born in captivity to mothers described under point 4 above.

Indirect victims are individuals who suffered personal harm as a result of crime(s) committed against a direct victim. Indirect victims may include: (1) family members of direct victims, including the spouse and children of the direct victim; (2) anyone who attempted to prevent the commission of the crimes for which Mr Ongwen was convicted; (3) individuals who suffered harm when helping or intervening on behalf of direct victims; and (4) other persons who suffered personal harm as a result of the crimes Mr Ongwen was convicted for (including those who witnessed the commission of the crimes if their personal harm and the causal link with the crimes are proven).

HOW CAN VICTIMS APPLY TO PARTICIPATE IN REPARATIONS?

Victims eligible for reparations in the Ongwen case who never applied for any ICC proceedings in the Uganda Situation before can fill in an application form and send it to the Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS) of the Court.

Victim who participated previously at the trial stage of the case will automatically be considered by the VPRS for reparations. They do not have to complete a new form.

The VPRS is mandated to identify all victims and survivors who have the right to receive reparations in the Ongwen case. The VPRS developed separate forms to be used in the case by individual victims, by organisations, and by members of the same family/household. The individual form is available in the box below, along with a Questions and Answers (Q&A) document. Guidelines on how to fill in the individual form will be available in the near future as well, as well as the form for organisations and corresponding guidelines.

The VPRS, through its intermediaries, will also assist victims in filling out and submitting reparations forms.

If family members living in the same household are interested in applying through a  household group application form, or if victims have any questions about the forms, please contact the VPRS by email at [email protected] or by phone (or WhatsApp) at +256772532830, +256771406331 or +256789149155 (VPRS staff in the Uganda country office).