As judges from the International Criminal Court prepare to deliver their ruling on the case of Germain Katanga, a man accused of crimes against humanity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the judgement may prove a milestone for international law and have a profound impact on future cases, reports Al Jazeera.
Katanga, commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI), faces three counts of crimes against humanity and seven counts of war crimes, including for murder, sexual slavery and rape, with the verdict due to be delivered on the 7th of March. With his fellow commander Mathieu Ngdjolo Chui acquitted by the court in 2012 over a lack of evidence, Katanga’s trial is now being closely watched to see how the ICC will deal with cases of sexual violence in the future.
Rianne Letschert, a professor in international law and victimology at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, told Al Jazeera,
Katanga, commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI), faces three counts of crimes against humanity and seven counts of war crimes, including for murder, sexual slavery and rape, with the verdict due to be delivered on the 7th of March. With his fellow commander Mathieu Ngdjolo Chui acquitted by the court in 2012 over a lack of evidence, Katanga’s trial is now being closely watched to see how the ICC will deal with cases of sexual violence in the future.
Rianne Letschert, a professor in international law and victimology at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, told Al Jazeera,
"A conviction of sexual violence crimes would be an important milestone for the court."See more in the Al Jazeera feature here.
"This case is terribly important not only for Katanga's victims but also for national and international cases in the future."