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Tag: Fatou Bensouda

  • US revokes visa for ICC chief prosecutor

    The U.S. has revoked an entry visa for Fatou Bensouda, the International Criminal Court’s Chief Prosecutor.

    The office of the prosecutor confirmed the information to dpa on Friday.

    The U.S. wants to prevent the court from opening an investigation into alleged crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

    Bensouda can still travel to New York when she has to report to the United Nations Security Council, the spokesperson said, adding that the prosecutor’s work will continue despite the visa issue.

    Bensouda had requested judicial approval for an official investigation, saying there is sufficient evidence of war crimes and proof that U.S. soldiers and CIA employees tortured or brutally handled prisoners in 2003 and 2004.

    U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had already threatened to revoke entry visas for employees of the court.

    The U.S. is not a signatory to the statute governing the International Criminal Court and has rejected the judicial body’s legitimacy for years.

    The International Criminal Court prosecutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    It is based on the Rome Statute, which entered into force in 2002.

    A total of 122 countries signed the statue, including all EU member states.

  • ICC to probe Burundi clashes

    The international war crimes court will investigate allegations of imprisonment and violence in Burundi, which has been wracked by unrest since a political crisis erupted a year ago.

    The office of the United Nations human rights commissioner estimates at least 430 people have been killed there since last April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza launched a bid for a third term in office and then won a disputed election in July.

    At least three armed rebel groups have since emerged in the country, Reuters reported.

    Announcing a preliminary examination, the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said on Monday she had seen reports of imprisonment, torture and rape.

    “At least 3,400 people have been arrested and over 230,000 Burundians forced to seek refuge in neighbouring countries,” she said in a statement.

    Preliminary examinations at the court, based mainly on publicly available information, can last months or years before leading to a possible full investigation. Only then can criminal charges be brought against individuals suspected of war crimes or crimes against humanity.

    Western powers and regional states fear Burundi could slide back into the ethnically charged conflict that characterised its 1993-2005 civil war.

    Opponents accuse Nkurunziza of violating Burundi’s constitution and a peace agreement that ended the civil war by running for a third term. The president and his supporters cite a court ruling that said he could run again.

    At the weekend, a Burundian army officer who had been held in captivity by a rebel group was handed back to his unit, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

    The ICC recently dropped its last case against the leaders of regional power Kenya after a fierce lobbying campaign by the country and its African allies alleging that the court unfairly singled out Africans for prosecution.

  • Dasukigate: Falana asks ICC to investigate Dasuki, others

    Dasukigate: Falana asks ICC to investigate Dasuki, others

    Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate allegations of crimes against humanity committed by some former and serving military officers, public officials and private persons including former security adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki who are involved in the alleged diversion of $8 billion earmarked for procurement of arms and armaments for the armed forces to fight insurgency.

    The request is contained in a petition dated January 19, 2016 and sent to the Prosecutor of the ICC Mrs Fatou Bensouda.

    Specifically, Falana urged the ICC prosecutor to “urgently investigate proprio motu the allegations of the criminal diversion of the security fund of $2.1 billion and N643 billion earmarked by suspected perpetrators, with a view to determining whether these amount to crimes against humanity within the Court’s jurisdiction”
    He said the ICC prosecutor should also invite representatives of the Nigerian government to provide written or oral testimony at the seat of the Court, “ so that the Prosecutor is able to conclude on the basis of available information whether there is a reasonable basis for an investigation, and to submit a request to the Pre-Trial Chamber for authorization of an investigation.

    According to Falana, the prosecutor should bring to justice those suspected to bear full responsibility for deliberate under funding of the armed forces through widespread and systematic corruption in Nigeria.

    He urged the Nigerian government to fulfill its obligations under the Rome Statute to cooperate with the ICC; including complying with your requests to arrest and surrender suspected perpetrators of the criminal diversion of security fund, testimony, and provide other support to the ICC.

    The lawyer whose firm represented a majority of the soldiers charged with mutiny, cowardly behavior and sundry offences before the courts-martial instituted by the former military authorities said the only “offence” proved against the soldiers in the military courts were that they had the temerity to demand for weapons to fight the well equipped troops of the Boko Haram sect.”
    Falana alleged that the insurgents have killed about 25,000 soldiers and civilians including children and displaced over 2,000,000 people because of the refusal of the former military authorities to equip and motivate the members of the armed forces involved in combat operations.

    He alleged further that the former military authorities compromised the security of the people of Nigeria by collaborating with the terrorists and deliberately encouraged the brutal killing of innocent people including ill-equipped officers and soldiers.

    He submitted that the former public officials, serving and military officers as well as civilian collaborators who engaged in the criminal diversion of the security fund are liable to bear full responsibility for the death of about 25,000 people who were killed by the Boko Haram sect and the over 2,000,000 people displaced by the terrorist organisation.

  • We’ve deployed troops in 32 states, says NSA Dasuki

    We’ve deployed troops in 32 states, says NSA Dasuki

    TYhe National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, yesterday said armed forces have been deployed in 32 out of the 36 states of the federation to check security challenges.

    He also said efforts are being made to tackle Boko Haram insurgency in the Norteast.

    He, however, assured that the Federal Government will encourage troops to observe human rights, and international humanitarian law norms in their engagement.

    Dasuki spoke at an international seminar on the Imperatives of the Observance of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Norms in Internal Security Operations, jointly organised by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Security Adviser.

    The seminar, holding at the National Defence College in Abuja, is being attended by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda

    He said: “As you are well aware, our great country has been grappling with a plethora of security challenges occasioning loss of lives and property.

    “These civil disturbances, ethnic tensions and recently, terrorism and insurgency in the North East geopolitical zone have engaged the attention of the government and security agencies as concerted efforts are being made to contain the situation and restore normalcy in the affected parts of the country.

    “The declaration of a State of Emergency by Mr. President with the support and approval of the National Assembly in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States is one of the several initiatives implemented to address these security challenges.

    “While these efforts are ongoing, experience has shown from a post-mortem of the crises situations and robust interaction with the affected communities that although, civil authorities often employ their best endeavours in tackling these crises, they are sometimes overwhelmed by the degree of sophistication both in terms of operational modality and weaponry used by the perpetrators of these crises.

    “In the circumstances, it has become imperative to deploy the armed forces in aid of civil authority. It is significant to note that our armed forces are presently involved in internal security operations in about 32 states of the federation.

    “I have no doubt that our participation in this seminar is a demonstration of our collective will and commitment to put an end to the spate of mindless killings taking place across the country and to build a progressive and stable society, where we can all sleep under the cover of peace and security. It is our fervent hope that we will realise this objective.”

    Dasuki, however, assured that the Federal Government will encourage troops to observe human rights, and international humanitarian law norms in their engagement.

    He added: “The frequent interaction between the armed forces and the civilian population has also come at a cost in terms of human lives and material resources. Allegations of human rights abuses and proportionality of military response to crises situations are issues that have been thrown up within the country, as well as, the international community.

    “While the observance of appropriate rules of engagement has been institutionalised in the training of members of the armed forces, it is our conviction, particularly, while organising this seminar, that frequent sensitisation will go a long way to encourage the armed forces to imbibe these norms and promote voluntary compliance.

    The NSA said the seminar became compelling to guide commanders and troops on their responsibilities; treatment of victims and other vulnerable groups during conflict situations

    He said: “The seminar is therefore designed to sensitise the armed forces and other security agencies on the imperatives of observing human rights, international humanitarian law norms and interrogate issues with the potential of reducing the risk of exposure to prosecution or other unpleasant consequences that could flow from the disregard of these norms.

    “This is consistent with our national laws and the obligations imposed by various international legal instruments, including but not limited to the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which Nigeria is a State Party.

    “As a State Party to these instruments, Nigeria has the obligation to teach its rules and norms to her armed forces and the general public.

    “We are duty bound not only to prevent violations, but also, punish the perpetrators when they occur.”