This week the media has primarily focused on the Libya investigation. In May ICC Prosecutor Ocampo requested the issuance of arrests warrants against Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and Libya's spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi. On Monday June 27 the ICC judges approved the application and issued arrest warrants against the three on charges of crimes against humanity committed in Libya. Reading out the chamber's verdict Presiding Judge Monageng said that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that Gaddafi had "absolute, ultimate and unquestioned" control over Libya's security forces during the period in question. In other news, the much criticized visit to China by Omar al-Bashir has been delayed for unknown reasons. Sudan's President, who is wanted by the ICC on numerous charges, was scheduled to arrive in Beijing early Monday morning, but failed to appear.
Last Thursday, Prosecutor Ocampo applied to a panel of ICC pre-trial judges to request opening a formal investigation into the election crisis that occurred last year in the Ivory Coast. On Friday, Tunisia reportedly became the 116th member of the ICC after completing the final step to join the Court. It is the first north African country to join the ICC. The Rome Statute is scheduled to enter into force for the nation on September 1. As expected, council for the "Kenya six" has appealed the Pre-Trial Chamber's recent ruling against allowing domestic proceedings. The parties cite various alleged procedural and legal errors as the basis for their appeal. The judges have yet to rule on the appeal. Photo credit: The Telegraph UK.
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