Originally published on the CGS blog on May 3, 2011.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced this week that it has uncovered proof that the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces have committed crimes against humanity in attacking civilians, and ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has said that he will seek arrest warrants for up to five people.
The situation in Libya was referred to the Court for investigation in February by a unanimous vote of the U.N. Security Council. The ICC launched its investigation shortly thereafter. Prosecutor Ocampo is expected to brief the U.N. Security Council on the results of his investigation on May 4, and his recommendations for indictments should be received by ICC judges within the next few weeks.
Prosecutor Ocampo said that “We have strong evidence on the beginning of the conflict, the shooting of civilians,” adding that the murder of unarmed civilians would be considered a crime against humanity. “Also, we have strong evidence of the crime of persecution,” including “massive arrests and torture of people, and some forced disappearances … (for) talking to journalists or going to demonstrations.”
It is encouraging that the ICC has moved quickly in its investigation, following the unanimous UNSC referral of the Libya situation. This rapid response to the violence in Libya shows that international institutions are taking seriously the need to protect civilians in accordance with the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), and to hold accountable for their crimes those who have targeted them. CGS will continue to follow these developments as they unfold.
