| Media Advisory: ICC Prosecutor visits Central African Republic to meet with victims and local population |
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The Hague, 5 February 2008 ICC-OTP-20080205-MA07-ENG
Translation:
Sango While in Bangui the Prosecutor will meet with victims, representatives of civil society and local population. He will participate in a public dialogue, to be widely broadcast through radio Interactive Radio for Justice. He will answer questions and discuss with people throughout CAR the significance of ICC for them. The Prosecutor will also meet senior government officials. He will visit the ICC local field office, which opened in October 2007. The Office of the Prosecutor announced the opening of the investigation in CAR on 22 May 2007. It focuses on crimes which were mainly committed during the violence of 2002–2003. The particularly high number of allegations of rape and other acts of sexual violence is one of the main features of the investigation. “Hundreds of terrified women have been subjected to the ordeal of sexual violence” said the Prosecutor. “We hear of gang rapes, horrific sexual acts being inflicted on women, young girls, the elderly, in some cases on men. Perpetrators of acts of massive sexual violence, in CAR and elsewhere, must know that they will be held accountable: such acts are serious crimes falling under ICC jurisdiction and they will be prosecuted.” The Office is also monitoring acts of violence committed since 2005 in the northern part of the country. The Prosecutor will address national accountability efforts with the CAR authorities. He will urge international support for all efforts to end impunity. “The people of Central African Republic need to know the world has not forgotten them” the Prosecutor said. “Our investigative activities in CAR can bring to the attention of the international community the terrible problems facing the people here and the need to address them urgently. We need comprehensive solutions for CAR and the support of all. International justice is a central part of the solution“. The International Criminal Court is an independent, permanent court that investigates and prosecutes persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes |