ICC in the Media, Update #47

This week the ICC judges concluded the confirmation of charges hearings for the six Kenya post-election violence suspects. The defense counsel reportedly asked the court to disregard the prosecution's evidence and decide against the cases going to trial. Presiding Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova used the opportunity to urge adequate protection of witnesses following the hearings after reports surfaced last week that the family of a witness had been threatened. The International Criminal Court has made available the following videos covering both sets of confirmation of charges hearings:

Reportedly the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber judges will rule in 90 days whether or not the suspects will go to trial on charges of crimes against humanity. In the meantime, lawyers for the government have submitted a request to gain access to all the prosecution's evidence (including all confidential and unredacted materials) to aid the government in investigating and prosecuting domestically perpetrators of the post-election violence, including the ICC suspects. This application has been criticized by some as yet another attempt to cede jurisdiction from the ICC. In the ongoing Bebma trial, reportedly this week the defense submitted evidence that Bemba tried to stop the perpetration of crimes by his officers upon learning that they were being committed. Further witness testimony and defense cross-examination are scheduled to continue this week. In other news, human rights activists in Mexico are reportedly planning to submit a complaint to the ICC against President Felipe Calderon, other government officials and drug cartel leaders for widespread abuses in the country's drug war. Despite the fact that Mexico is a state party to the ICC, scholars have expressed doubt that such a case could succeed at the ICC. Photo credit: The L.A. Times.