The International Criminal Court is due to sentence Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba on Tuesday, after a landmark case that focussed on rape committed by troops under his command as a crime against humanity.
Prosecutors have called for a minimum 25 year sentence to be handed down after a three-judge panel convicted Mr Bemba in March of this year. He was found guilty of five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the court ruling he had "failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent" troops under his command from committing murder and rape.
Carrie Comer from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) told AFP,
"It's really important that the court recognise the command responsibility... and there's an opportunity here to provide a deterrent."
"If you knew, or you should have known, that these things were going on and you execute effective control over your troops then, yes, you're absolutely responsible for ... not preventing or punishing these crimes."
See more here.
Prosecutors have called for a minimum 25 year sentence to be handed down after a three-judge panel convicted Mr Bemba in March of this year. He was found guilty of five charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the court ruling he had "failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent" troops under his command from committing murder and rape.
Carrie Comer from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) told AFP,
"It's really important that the court recognise the command responsibility... and there's an opportunity here to provide a deterrent."
"If you knew, or you should have known, that these things were going on and you execute effective control over your troops then, yes, you're absolutely responsible for ... not preventing or punishing these crimes."
See more here.
