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…
All testimony heard by the Lubanga trial this week was given in closed session following a declaration by defense attorneys that they would not be able to cross-examine the witness in public session. During the week, judges also stated that the final witnesses scheduled to give evidence in the war crimes trial were expected to…
The final witnesses scheduled to give evidence in the Thomas Lubanga war crimes trial are expected to complete testimony by November 25, Presiding Judge Adrian Fulford said today. The defense will then file an application asking judges to consider dismissing the case. Judge Fulford stated that because the defense had been preparing this application for…
International Criminal Court (ICC) appeals judges ruled today that Congolese war crimes accused Thomas Lubanga should not be released and ordered his trial to resume. Two months ago, trial judges stayed proceedings in the trial of the former rebel leader and ordered his release from ICC detention. The prosecution appealed both the decision to suspend…
Trial judges have refused an application by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for permission to interview pending witnesses in the Thomas Lubanga trial while proceedings remain suspended. In a ruling handed down on September 24, 2010, judges Adrian Fulford, Elizabeth Odio Benito, and René Blattmann rejected the prosecution’s request on the grounds that the…
The defense for war crimes accused Thomas Lubanga has this week opposed the bid by International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to take testimony from witnesses, who were previously scheduled to testify in the trial, even as proceedings remain suspended. Last week, the prosecutor asked trial judges to permit prosecutors to take the testimony…
Thomas Lubanga’s defense case opened this week with his lawyers declaring that prosecution witnesses were coached, and that the witnesses who claimed to have been child soldiers never were. Catherine Mabille, the lead defense counsel, said on Wednesday that they would ask judges to discontinue the case after producing16 witnesses who will, among others, show…
In the coming months, we will now get to hear Thomas Lubanga’s side of the story. Between January and July last year, we heard horror stories from prosecution witnesses, often former child soldiers, who told of life as a child soldier in the UPC militia camps – the rapes by camp commanders; children abducted on their…
Before the defense case for Thomas Lubanga starts in full swing, it is worth reminding ourselves of his team’s opening statement to the court – made almost a year ago now. It may give us a sense of of the direction Mr. Lubanga’s team could take in making a case for his innocence, although the team provided…
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda has been present in court almost every day of the prosecution’s case against Thomas Lubanga, which concluded on July 14. She recently spoke to the Lubanga Trial website about the controversy over sexual violence charges, the challenges of witness protection, and why victims’ participation is important. Rachel Irwin: The issue…
Thomas Lubanga on trial at the International Criminal Court. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo is the first person to be tried by the International Criminal Court. A former rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lubanga is accused of conscripting, enlisting, and using child soldiers. More
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