International Criminal Court: Abd-Al-Rahman Trial to Commence on 5 April 2022

30-03-2022

Grace ATALUI MOKANGO

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence

Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court, composed of Judge Joanna Korner, Presiding Judge, Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou, and Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor, will hold the trial in the case of The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman on Wednesday 5 April 2022 at 9.30 am. 

Practical information published on the Court's website indicates that hearings are scheduled to start on 5 April 2022. The Chamber will first hear the Prosecution's opening statement, followed by a short unsworn statement by the accused and brief remarks by the Legal Representatives of Victims. The Prosecution will have six hours to present its opening statements, followed by the first Prosecution witness, an expert, whose appearance will begin on 6 April 2022.

Mr Abd-Al-Rahman was a senior leader of the Janjaweed militia in Wadi Salih and Mukjar, West Darfur State, Sudan. As a reminder, on 9 July 2021, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the Court unanimously confirmed the charges against Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman. Thus, as required by the procedure, referred the case to the Trial Chamber for trial. The confirmed charges against Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman number 31, constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed between August 2003 and at least April 2004 in Darfur, Sudan,

The trial period can be lengthy as the judges of the Trial Chamber must rule beyond a reasonable doubt on the guilt or lack of guilt of the accused.  

Source and further reading

International Criminal Court, Opening of the Abd-Al-Rahman trial, 5 April 2022: Practical information, Media Advisory, ( 29 March 2022), from: https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=ma273