Daily Report

April 5, 2011

Lubanga Not Responsible For Military Takeover in Bunia, Witness Says

By Judith Armatta

For the third day of cross-examination, defense witness Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa persisted in denying nearly all suggestions by the prosecution that Thomas Lubanga or the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) had a military role in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before September 2002. He continued his denial in the face of contradictory documents…

Daily Report

April 4, 2011

Witness Insists Thomas Lubanga Was Not A Military Leader

By Judith Armatta

Prosecutor Olivia Struyven cross-examined militia leader Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa, who has been testifying for four days in the trial of Thomas Lubanga. Mr. Lubanga is charged with recruiting, conscripting, and using child soldiers in the Ituri Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2002 and 2003. Ms. Struyven’s line of questioning was…

Daily Report

April 1, 2011

UPC Had No Military Objectives, Witness States

By Judith Armatta

Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa took the stand for the third day to undergo cross-examination by the prosecution in the trial of Thomas Lubanga for recruitment, conscription, and use of child soldiers in the Ituri District of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during 2002 and 2003. The prosecutor focused his questioning on the original nature…

Daily Report

March 31, 2011

Defense Witness Denies Forced Conscription of Children in Second Day of Testimony

By Judith Armatta

Today, judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) heard the continuation of testimony from defense witness Bede Djokaba Lambi Longa. Mr. Longa, an official of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC), described a reconciliation program the UPC initiated from September 2002 to March 6, 2003, under the auspices of its National Secretariat for Pacification and…

Daily Report

March 30, 2011

Trial Resumes With Testimony That Lubanga Ordered Demobilization of Child Soldiers

By Judith Armatta

The trial of former Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo resumed today after a four months’ hiatus. It opened with a ruling from judges on the appearance of certain defense witnesses. Lubanga’s counsel applied to call two witnesses in addition to those already on the witness list and to hear testimony of certain witnesses via…

Legal Analysis Trial Reports

March 4, 2011

Written Decision Explains Why Trial Will Go Forward

By Judith Armatta

On March 2, 2011, Trial Chamber I issued its written decision denying the defense request to permanently stay the trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo for war crimes and immediately release him for prosecutorial abuse of process. The judges gave their oral decision on February 23. There is no indication whether the defense will appeal the…

Daily Report Trial Reports

February 23, 2011

Lubanga Trial to Resume After Judges Reject Defense Call For Dismissal

By Wairagala Wakabi

Thomas Lubanga’s war crimes trial is set to resume after judges rejected a defense application, which sought the dismissal of the first case to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  Mr. Lubanga’s lawyers last December asked judges to throw out the case, claiming that the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) had abused court process…

Daily Report Trial Reports

February 14, 2011

Court Orders Disclosure of Victims’ Information

By Judith Armatta

As the public awaits news of when the trial of Thomas Lubanga will resume, the Trial Chamber has issued several decisions on pending applications from the parties. In the most recent one, the defense requested disclosure of information from certain victims’ application forms in which they sought to participate in the proceedings. The victims testified…

Commentary Trial Reports

February 10, 2011

Ituri: The Pursuit of Justice

By Sheila Vélez

Dear readers – Please find an article written by Sheila Vélez, a freelance journalist and author of the “Lubanga Chronicles” which document the ICC trial.  This article was originally published on the Aegis Trust website.  The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Open Society Justice Initiative.  Four…

Legal Analysis Trial Reports

February 8, 2011

Chamber Clarifies Disclosure Rule

By Judith Armatta

On November 5, 2010, the Trial Chamber in the case of Thomas Lubanga questioned the prosecution’s late disclosure to the defense of part of an investigator’s internal memorandum, dated February 23, 2006. Full disclosure occurred on November 1, 2010. The prosecution responded that the material withheld was “work product” and not subject to disclosure under…