5 Dec 2011

ICC / GBAGBO

The ICC said today that a hearing will begin on 18 June next year to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to confirm charges against former president of Côte d’Ivoire Laurant Gbagbo who stands accused of crimes against humanity. ICC

Posted at: December 5, 2011 4:19 pm

Duration: 02:00

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: ICC / GBAGBO
TRT: 2.00
SOURCE: ICC
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: NATS

DATELINE: 5 DECEMBER 2011, THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS

SHOTLIST:

1. Med Shot, judges walking into the court
2. Med shot, journalists
3. Med shot, judges sit down
4. Close up, judge talking to Gbagbo
5. Close up, Gbagbo responding to the judge
6. Med shot, Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo
7. Various shots, Gbagbo responding to judge
8. Med shot, judges leave the court
9. Med shot, Gbagbo leaves the court room

STORYLINE:

The International Criminal Court (ICC) said today that a hearing to determine whether there are sufficient grounds to confirm charges against Laurent Gbagbo, the former president of Côte d'Ivoire, who stands accused of crimes against humanity, will begin on 18 June next year.

An ICC pre-trial chamber set the date at Gbagbo's initial appearance in the court in The Hague, the Netherlands, where the tribunal is based.

The charges against Gbagbo, 66, are connected to the bloody election-related violence that erupted in Côte d'Ivoire nearly a year ago. He was surrendered to the ICC last week by Ivorian authorities.

At today's hearing, in the presence of representatives from both the prosecution and the defence, the court verified the identity of Gbagbo and ensured that he was clearly informed of the charges brought 
against him and of his rights under the treaty that established the ICC.

A confirmation of charges hearing is held to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that the accused committed each of the crimes charged. If the charges are confirmed, the pre-trial chamber commits the case for trial before a trial chamber.

Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts, committed in Côte d'Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April this year.

In early October, the ICC authorized prosecutors to probe alleged abuses committed during the bloody unrest in Côte d'Ivoire, which erupted when Gbagbo refused to step down after he lost the United Nations-certified election to Alassane Ouattara, who was eventually sworn in after Gbagbo surrendered in April.

According to sources quoted by the prosecution in its application, at least 3,000 people were killed, 72 disappeared and 520 others were subject to arbitrary arrest and detentions during the post-election violence.

The pre-trial chamber has found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that in the aftermath of the presidential elections, pro-Gbagbo forces attacked civilians in the commercial capital, Abidjan, and in the country's west, targeting people they believed were supporters of the rival presidential candidate.

The attacks were allegedly committed pursuant to an organizational policy and were also widespread and systematic as they were carried out over an extended period, in large geographic areas, and following a similar general pattern. The raids were allegedly often directed at specific ethnic or religious communities.