Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Three Female Judges Just Made History By Convicting a Commander for Rapes Committed by His Troops | UN Dispatch

Three Female Judges Just Made History By Convicting a Commander for Rapes Committed by His Troops | UN Dispatch: "Today the International Criminal Court reached an historic decision, finding former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba guilty of murder, rape and pillaging during the 2002 – 2003 conflict in the Central African Republic. This decision is historic for two big reasons. First, it marks the the first time the ICC has found a commander guilty for actions committed by his troops. They did so under the theory of “command responsibility,” making a leader criminally liable for the crimes committed by his troops. Perhaps even more significantly, this verdict marks the first ICC conviction for rape and gender based violence.  In other words, a commander was just held criminally liable for the rapes committed by his troops. 

The unanimous decision by the Trial Chamber marks a significant step forward for the ICC in breaking new ground in international law. But it also highlights how important the diversity of jurists is in holding leaders responsible for their crimes. Three justices, all women, presided over the trial and rendered the precedent-setting verdict. That may have made a difference. "



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