On the 23 January 2019, Mr Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona was transferred to the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) in The Hague, The Netherlands, by the authorities of the French Republic pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the Central African Republic (“CAR”). This transfer followed the completion of necessary national proceedings in France, where he was arrested on 12 December 2018.
The ICC Registrar, Mr Peter Lewis, thanked the authorities of the French Republic and of the host State, The Netherlands, for their cooperation in the arrest and transfer of Mr Ngaïssona to the Court.
The date of the initial appearance of Mr Ngaïssona before Pre-Trial Chamber II will be announced soon. At the initial appearance hearing, the Chamber will verify the identity of the suspect and the language in which he is able to follow the proceedings. He will be informed of the charges against him.
Background: On 7 December 2018, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II issued an arrest warrant for Mr Ngaïssona for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in various locations in the CAR between at least 5 December 2013 and at least December 2014:
-crimes against humanity: murder and attempted murder, extermination, deportation or forcible transfer of population, imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts; and
-war crimes: murder and attempted murder, torture, cruel treatment, mutilation, intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population, intentionally directing an attack against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a humanitarian assistance, intentionally directing an attack against buildings dedicated to religion, pillaging , enlistment of children under the age of 15 years and their use to participate actively in hostilities , displacement of the civilian population and destroying or seizing the property of an adversary.
