The International Criminal Court of Appeals will deliver its judgment on 31 March at 15, The Hague time. The charge of crimes against humanity committed during the violence after the 2010 and 2011 elections, the former head of state and his short-lived minister were acquitted in January 2019. But the prosecutor had appealed against this acquittal. Therefore, reply on March 31st. What are the possible scenarios?
as reported from The Hague, Stéphanie Maupas
Among the possible scenarios, the judges could decide to confirm the two acquittals, and the case would then be finally closed almost ten years after the case was opened. The conditions of release would be lifted immediately. Laurent Gbagbo, who lives in Belgium, and Charles Blé Goudé, who lives in The Hague return to the Ivory Coast, both cleared.
In his appeal, the prosecutor had asked the judges to pronounce a dismissal instead of the acquittals. condemnation of “procedural shortcomings”. This is the second possible scenario. The dismissal does not close the case definitively. He does not clear the accused. And he leaves open the possibility of further prosecution.
Required by the judges during a hearing on the consequences of such a decision, the prosecutor had stated that she could request a new trial against the former president and the former leader of the young patriots. Fatou Bensouda asked for another chance.
► Also read:Laurent Gbagbo acquitted: the story of a turning point at the International Criminal Court
Other scenarios are possible but are considered unlikely, such as the continuation or resumption of the trial at first instance, which had stopped before the hearing of defense witnesses.
Finally, one of the questions that will weigh the story in this case will be whether or not the five judges of the Board of Appeal will decide unanimously on the future of the two Ivorians.
Case #Gbagbo and #BléGoudé: #CPI Appeal Chamber issues its judgment of appeal on 31 March 2021 at 15 (CET) How to participate, follow online and more
– ICC-Int. (@CourPenaleInt) March 11, 2021.
