Ntaganda trial to commence in July

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rescheduled Bosco Ntaganda's trial for July 2015.

A specific date will be announced in due course for the trial’s commencement date, which was initially scheduled for June 2, 2015.

The Chamber considered a request by the Defence to postpone the trial’s opening until 2 November 2015, which was opposed by the Prosecution and the Legal Representatives of Victims.

The Chamber also considered the recent Registry’s submissions indicating that an additional period of approximately one month would be required to facilitate the holding of opening statements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Having considered the Registry’s need for extra time, as well as all other relevant factors, and having indicated that the Chamber was not satisfied that the Defence’s submissions justify a postponement of the length requested, the Chamber decided to postpone the opening statements to the second or the third week of July 2015.

This decision was issued without prejudice to the Presidency’s decision on whether they are to be held in the DRC or not, and decided that the presentation of the prosecution’s evidence shall commence provisionally on the week of 17 August 2015.