Some six years ago, the International Criminal Court started proceedings in the case of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, a militia commander from Eastern Congo accused of conscripting, enlisting and using child soldiers. His trial was the first to open at the ICC in The Hague in January 2009; it is now entering its final stages, with the scheduled hearing of final arguments from the prosecution and…
A child protection specialist this week told the International Criminal Court that ICC fugitive Bosco Ntaganda executed a young recruit who tried to escape. Christine Peduto, who worked for the United Nations Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), was testifying at the trial of Thomas Lubanga who is charged with recruiting children in…
Young female recruits were frequently raped by commanders in Thomas Lubanga’s militia, a former soldier in the Union of Congolese Patriots, UPC, told the court this week. “I used to see women who were taken by force,” said the witness, who trained young recruits at the Mandro centre, not far from the Ituri city of…
Commanders in Thomas Lubanga’s militia impregnated young female recruits, a former soldier in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) told prosecutors on Tuesday. “[The commanders] took girls and would get them pregnant, and then these girls had to leave the camp and go [back] to the village,” said the witness, who trained young recruits at…
Rape was rampant among the Congolese armed forces and militia groups, an expert on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) told judges on Thursday. Roberto Garreton, a Chilean lawyer and former United Nations special enjoy on human rights in the DRC, said that soldiers in the DRC are “allowed to do whatever.” Even in…
Girls recruited into Thomas Lubanga’s militia were raped by trainers and guards, a former soldier in the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) told the court today. In court for the third consecutive day, the witness is one of many who have testified about sexual violence in the militia’s training camps. “The trainers and other guards…
Judges reprimanded prosecutors today for an inadequate response to victims’ attorneys, who want charges against defendant Thomas Lubanga expanded to include sexual slavery and cruel treatment. “The prosecution [response] in present form fails to address issues raised [by the victims' lawyers],” presiding Judge Adrian Fulford told prosecutors. “It would be helpful to us to have…
Two former child soldiers in Thomas Lubanga’s militia this week told the International Criminal Court about the first time they killed in battle and how they are haunted by the memories. Testifying in Swahili, both said fear of being shot by their commanders stopped them from fleeing the gruesome conditions of their training and at…
A former child soldier told the International Criminal Court on Friday that she was repeatedly raped by commanders in Thomas Lubanga’s militia. The young woman said she was conscripted at the age of 13 and was sexually assaulted, yet never received treatment for her injuries and still suffers pain. The unnamed witness, in her second…
A former child soldier told prosecutors this week that commanders in defendant Thomas Lubanga’s militia ordered the recruits to rape. “Did you rape girls?” Prosecutor Manoj Sachdeva asked the unnamed witness. “Yes, I raped once,” the witness said, explaining that the rape occurred after a battle against ethnic Lendu fighters in the Ituri village of…
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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