Another main event in the fight against impunity was the opening on 26 January 2009 of the ICC trial of Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, accused of having conscripted and enlisted child soldiers in Ituri, DRC, between September 2002 and August 2003. This is the first ICC trial to get underway since its creation in 2002. It is also the first time in the history of international criminal justice that victims have been given a voice: they can now participate in the trial proceedings and are no longer considered only as witnesses.
FIDH is supporting 20 victims in the proceedings before the ICC on the situation in Democratic Republic of Congo These were the first victims applications to be accepted by the ICC.
Although the limited nature of the charges against Thomas Lubanga is disappointing (his militias have been accused of other serious crimes, including homicide, sexual crimes and looting), FIDH wishes to remind that this is also the first in a series of trials that may have a deterrent effect and thus contribute to the prevention of conflicts in the region.
To learn more: FIDH Website
