Release of Ivorian ex-president Gbagbo postponed to February | Cote d'Ivoire News



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The judges at the International Criminal Court, the judges on appeal have delayed the release of the former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, ordering him that he be held in detention for at least two weeks, although he is still in prison. he was acquitted of the atrocity leader.

Gbagbo, who spent seven years in detention in The Hague, was found not guilty Tuesday for allegations of involvement in violence related to the 2010 and 2011 elections, during which about 3,000 people were killed.

The trial judges ordered that he be released, refusing a request from prosecutors to extend his detention while they were appealing.

But Friday's 3-2 decision by a five-member appeal panel means that Gbagbo and his co-defendant, former Youth Minister Charles Ble Goude, will continue to be detained, at least until the appeal panel considered the decision of the Trial Chamber to release them.

A new hearing date has been set for February 1st.

The anti-Gbagbo protests erupted in Ivory Coast since the acquittal of the former leader [Luc Gnago/Reuters]

"The detention of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé will be held pending the examination of this appeal," the judgment said.

In their earlier decision to release the men, the trial judges stated that the prosecution was "exceptionally weak" and that it was unlikely that the acquittals would be overturned.

The Appeals Chamber supported the prosecution 's arguments that Gbagbo might not return to court when he was released.

Prosecutors noted that his wife, who is also the subject of an ICC arrest warrant, was living openly in Ivory Coast and that the local authorities had made it clear that They would not send more Ivorians to the ICC. "

Mr Gbagbo, the first former head of state to be arrested by the ICC, led the country from 2000 to 2011, refusing to withdraw after the announcement of the victory of his rival Albadane Ouattara in the presidential election of 2010.

After a period of post-election violence during which the two men claimed the presidency, he was arrested by pro-Ouattara forces backed by France and extradited to The Hague.

SOURCE:
Reuters News Agency

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