Looking at abuses in DRC
2005-02-22 14:45
The Hague - The International Criminal Court is to hold a hearing on March 15 to discuss possible action over massive human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the court said at its headquarters in The Hague.
The session will mark the first time that the ICC has investigated the substance of a specific case. The tribunal has been handicapped by the refusal of the United States to ratify the treaty that brought it into being in July 2002.
"The Pre-Trial Chamber One of the International Criminal Court has decided to convene a status conference to discuss with the Prosecutor or his representatives matters related to the investigation in the Democratic Republic of Congo," the ICC said in a statement.
"This status conference, the first to be convened at the International Criminal Court, will take place on March 15 2005 in closed session," the statement added.
The ICC is the first permanent world court mandated to try genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The case concerning the DRC relates to crimes committed in that huge country since July 1 2002, when the United Nations' ICC came into being.
The government in Kinshasa has undertaken to co-operate in preparing the case, which will focus on human rights abuses committed in the eastern region of Ituri.
The court said the sitting in March would be presided over by Claude Jorda of France.