SACP Calls for Unconditional Immediate Release of Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo by the ICC
17 January 2019
On Wednesday, 16 January 2019 the SACP welcomed the decision announced on Tuesday, 15 January 2019 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo to be released; this after the ICC judges acquitted him on charges of “crimes against humanity”. However, the judges stated that their ruling could be overturned on appeal.
The SACP questioned the material basis for the judges’ comment, in addition given the manner, which leaves much to be desired, in which the ICC has handled prosecutions. Indeed the prosecution responded affirmatively to the comment by the judges which effectively invited the prosecution to appeal. The prosecution accordingly appealed, hastily; almost on the spot. Thus Gbagbo was further deprived of his freedom having already served approximately eight years with neither evidence nor conviction. This was both unfair and, fundamentally, unjust.
The ICC judges found themselves faced with the groundless appeal application and compelled to recognise, in response, after the approximately eight years that Gbagbo was unjustly detained, that the prosecution’s case was “exceptionally weak”. They found themselves in a position where they had to act as a practical expression of the “negation of the negation” by duly dismissing the appeal which they themselves had invited.
Gbagbo already served a sentence for a crime he was not found guilty of committing. In the first place he was not supposed to be subjected to the sentence, and must immediately be released unconditionally without any further delay. The SACP reiterates the importance of reparation for the entire unjust detention of Gbagbo and every potential and actual loss consequently suffered since he was arrested in April 2011.
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES ON SACP STATEMENTS CONTACT:
Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo
National Spokesperson & Head of Communications
Mobile: +27 76 316 9816
Skype: MashiloAM
CIRCULATION & MEDIA LIAISON SERVICES
Hlengiwe Nkonyane:
Communications Officer - Media Liaison Services, Digital and Social Media Co-ordinator
Mobile: +27 79 384 6550
OFFICE, WEBSITE, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, USTREAM TV CHANNEL
Office: +2711 339 3621/2
Twitter: SACP1921
Website: www.sacp.org.za
Facebook Page: South African Communist Party
SACP Ustream TV Channel: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sacp-tv
On Wednesday, 16 January 2019 the SACP welcomed the decision announced on Tuesday, 15 January 2019 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo to be released; this after the ICC judges acquitted him on charges of “crimes against humanity”. However, the judges stated that their ruling could be overturned on appeal.
The SACP questioned the material basis for the judges’ comment, in addition given the manner, which leaves much to be desired, in which the ICC has handled prosecutions. Indeed the prosecution responded affirmatively to the comment by the judges which effectively invited the prosecution to appeal. The prosecution accordingly appealed, hastily; almost on the spot. Thus Gbagbo was further deprived of his freedom having already served approximately eight years with neither evidence nor conviction. This was both unfair and, fundamentally, unjust.
The ICC judges found themselves faced with the groundless appeal application and compelled to recognise, in response, after the approximately eight years that Gbagbo was unjustly detained, that the prosecution’s case was “exceptionally weak”. They found themselves in a position where they had to act as a practical expression of the “negation of the negation” by duly dismissing the appeal which they themselves had invited.
Gbagbo already served a sentence for a crime he was not found guilty of committing. In the first place he was not supposed to be subjected to the sentence, and must immediately be released unconditionally without any further delay. The SACP reiterates the importance of reparation for the entire unjust detention of Gbagbo and every potential and actual loss consequently suffered since he was arrested in April 2011.
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
FOR GENERAL ENQUIRIES ON SACP STATEMENTS CONTACT:
Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo
National Spokesperson & Head of Communications
Mobile: +27 76 316 9816
Skype: MashiloAM
CIRCULATION & MEDIA LIAISON SERVICES
Hlengiwe Nkonyane:
Communications Officer - Media Liaison Services, Digital and Social Media Co-ordinator
Mobile: +27 79 384 6550
OFFICE, WEBSITE, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, USTREAM TV CHANNEL
Office: +2711 339 3621/2
Twitter: SACP1921
Website: www.sacp.org.za
Facebook Page: South African Communist Party
SACP Ustream TV Channel: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sacp-tv
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