ICC Prosecutor Tells Court Kenya Violence Directed by Officials
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has told the pre-trial chamber that the post-election violence in Kenya is traceable to specific officials. The prosecutor reported the violence was directed by specific “senior political and business leaders.”
Kenya may be the fifth situation for the ICC, the investigation is limited to the post election violence. The ICC has jurisdiction over cases in countries which are signatories to the Rome Statute, the treaty which created the court, or where the case has been referred by the U.N. Security council. The security council referred the situation in Sudan. The situations in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Central African Republic were referred by the respective governments. The government of Kenya has consented to this investigation. The ICC has jurisdiction only when the cases cannot or will not be prosecuted by the national government.
The ICC’s press release is available here. The ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
