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THE HAGUE / GBAGBO PRETRIAL
STORY: THE HAGUE / GBAGBO PRETRIAL
TRT: 2.24
SOURCE: ICC / ONUCI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH/ NATS
DATELINE: 30 NOVEMBER 2011, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS / FILE
ONUCI - 30 JULY 2007, BOUAKE, CÔTE D'IVOIRE
1. Med shot, Laurent Gbagbo, walking on Bouake tarmac
2. Med shot, Gbagbo greeting crowd
3. Med shot, President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso arriving and greeting Gbagbo
4. Close up, Gbagbo and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa walking together
ICC - 30 NOVEMBER 2011, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division OF THE International Criminal Court (ICC):
“The Prosecutor was granted authorisation because it has presented sufficient evidence that there was a reasonable basis to believe that crimes that are within the jurisdiction of the Court had been committed. These crimes can be either crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide.”
ONUCI - 11 APRIL 2011, ABIDJAN, CÔTE D'IVOIRE
6. Still photo of Gbagbo being arrested
ICC - 30 NOVEMBER 2011, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division OF THE International Criminal Court (ICC):
“When the Pre-Trial Chamber authorises the opening of an investigation, it does not discuss the individual criminal responsibility of persons. It only discusses, and decides, whether crimes were committed. Finding who is responsible for those crimes is not up to the Pre-Trial Chamber during the authorisation to open an investigation. The criminal responsibility of a person is examined from the moment when the Prosecutor asks for a warrant of arrest or summons to appear.”
ONUCI - 28 NOVEMBER 2010, CÔTE D'IVOIRE
8. Wide shot, Laurent Gbagbo arriving to polling station
9. Med shot, Laurent Gbagbo at polling station voting and getting ovations
ICC - 30 NOVEMBER 2011, THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division OF THE International Criminal Court (ICC):
“We are going to inform him of the crimes and his rights according to the Rome Statute. He has a right to be represented by a lawyer and, for example, the right to request provisional release. Later, after this Court session, in the coming days, we will set a date for the beginning of the Confirmation of Charges Hearing. During these hearings the Pre-Trial Chamber will actually, in the presence of the defence and suspect – that means Mr Gbagbo and his lawyer –, and also in the presence of the Prosecutor who is going to present his evidence, determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Mr Gbagbo committed the alleged crimes.”
ONUCI - 30 JULY 2007, BOUAKE, CÔTE D'IVOIRE
13. Med shot, Gbagbo and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro walking in the stadium and cheering crowd
14. Med shot, Laurent Gbagbo sending kisses to the crowd
Laurent Gbagbo, the former president of Côte d’Ivoire, arrived at the International Criminal Court (ICC) today to face charges of crimes against humanity committed during the post-election violence that began in the West African nation nearly a year ago.
The 66-year-old was yesterday surrendered to the ICC, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands, by Ivorian national authorities. His initial appearance before the pre-trial chamber is expected to be held on Monday.
Gbagbo allegedly bears individual criminal responsibility, as indirect co-perpetrator, for four counts of crimes against humanity, namely murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts, committed in Côte d’Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011.
Côte d’Ivoire is not party to the Rome Statute. However, it accepted the jurisdiction of the Court, in accordance with article 12 paragraph 3 of the Rome Statute, in April 2003. After a preliminary examination, the Prosecutor of the Court decided to ask for authorisation from the Pre-Trial Chamber to investigate in Côte d’Ivoire. That authorisation was granted on 3 October 2011 by Pre-Trial Chamber III.
SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division of the International Criminal Court (ICC):
“The Prosecutor was granted authorisation because it has presented sufficient evidence that there was a reasonable basis to believe that crimes that are within the jurisdiction of the Court had been committed. These crimes can be either crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide.”
The alleged abuses were committed during the bloody unrest in Côte d’Ivoire, which erupted when Gbagbo refused to step down after he lost the United Nations-certified election to Alassane Ouattara, who was eventually sworn in after Gbagbo surrendered in April.
SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division of the International Criminal Court (ICC):
“When the Pre-Trial Chamber authorises the opening of an investigation, it does not discuss the individual criminal responsibility of persons. It only discusses, and decides, whether crimes were committed. Finding who is responsible for those crimes is not up to the Pre-Trial Chamber during the authorisation to open an investigation. The criminal responsibility of a person is examined from the moment when the Prosecutor asks for a warrant of arrest or summons to appear.”
During the pre-trial hearing Judges Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, Elizabeth Odio Benito and Adrian Fulford, will verify the identity of the suspect and ensure that he was clearly informed of the charges brought against him and of his rights under the Rome Statute. At the end of this first appearance, the Pre-Trial Chamber will set the date of the next step in the pre-trial proceedings: the hearing on the confirmation of charges.
SOUNDBITE (French) Gilbert Bitti, Senior Legal Adviser to the Pre trial Division of the International Criminal Court (ICC):
“We are going to inform him of the crimes and his rights according to the Rome Statute. He has a right to be represented by a lawyer and, for example, the right to request provisional release. Later, after this Court session, in the coming days, we will set a date for the beginning of the Confirmation of Charges Hearing. During these hearings the Pre-Trial Chamber will actually, in the presence of the defence and suspect – that means Mr Gbagbo and his lawyer –, and also in the presence of the Prosecutor who is going to present his evidence, determine if there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Mr Gbagbo committed the alleged crimes.”
According to sources quoted by the prosecution in its application, at least 3,000 people were killed, 72 disappeared and 520 others were subject to arbitrary arrest and detentions during the post-election violence.
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