Ivory Coast - Gbagbo and Blé Goudé at the ICC: An important step towards justice for victims of the post electoral crisis

On 28 January 2016, former President of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo and former Minister and leader of the Young Patriots (COJEP) Charles Blé Goudé, will face ICC judges at the opening of their joint trial in The Hague, Netherlands. Our organisations underline this judicial episode's great significance in the fight against impunity for international crimes committed during the post-electoral violence in Ivory Coast in 2010-2011. It will also be the first time that a former President will be tried at the ICC.

“The trial is of the utmost importance as it sends a strong signal that even the highest representatives of a State - irrespective of their power and official position - are not immune to prosecution under the Rome Statute system and will face justice for the crimes they have committed,“ stated Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé are charged with four counts of crimes against humanity, murder, rape, other inhumane acts or — in the alternative — attempted murder, and persecution, in the context of the post-election mass violence in Ivory Coast between December 2010 and April 2011.

[Laurent Gbagbo at the ICC] © AFP / Michael Kooren

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A Q&A on the Gbagbo / Blé Goudé case will soon be available on our website