by Alexandra Dodger media Charles Ble Goude, to the International Criminal Court for the first hearing of the trial where he is accused of crimes against humanity. REUTERS / Michael Kooren Charles Ble Goude, accused of crimes against humanity committed during the post-election violence of 2010-2011, appeared for the first time Thursday morning before the International Criminal Court. Géraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, International Justice Program within the NGO Human Rights Watch, discusses the long judicial process that began with the first appearance. RFI: Charles Ble Goude-, under an international arrest warrant in December 2011, extradited in 2013 by the authorities of Ghana where he had taken refuge, and then transferred last weekend in The Hague has appeared for the first time Thursday . Can we return to the first man on Charles Ble Goude, on his personality? It was an essential element of the circle Laurent Gbagbo, the former Ivorian President ... Géraldine Mattioli-Zeltner: Absolutely. Charles Ble Goude is really a key player for us, post-election violence that ravaged Ivory Coast between November 2010 and April 2011. It was a very close ally of Laurent Gbagbo. He was the secretary of a militia the Young Patriots militia, which was allied security forces of Laurent Gbagbo. He was appointed Minister of Youth in December 2010 by Gbagbo, formalizing somehow these links between Gbagbo and Charles Ble Goude. → A (RE) READ: Côte dIvoire accepted the transfer of Ble Goude to the ICC And after that, our organization - which documented in detail the violence in Côte dIvoire - could see how these militias Young Patriots were involved in the violence. Reportedly, they have been involved in hundreds of murders in Abidjan itself. And we were able to document how Charles Ble Goude, obviously has never stopped the forces under his command, but also incited violence by encouraging the militias of the Young Patriots to denounce foreigners, used by pro force term Gbagbo against the northern Ivorians in particular. Charles Ble Goude, often often referred to as hothead, conducted a real work in youth and universities, even before the elections and the violence that followed. Do you have any evidence for that? Yes, absolutely. It was the subject of a report we published in 2010-2011. Indeed, this is someone who has worked in youth and who supported Gbagbo, as I said, that really pushed the post-election violence. His extradition to The Hague was claimed long. Why do you think it takes only now? It is difficult to explain. As you said, the ICC arrest warrant was originally issued in December 2011. We do not know. It was an arrest warrant was placed under seal. It has only been revealed by the International Criminal Court in September 2013. And in January 2013, therefore, Ble Goude, who had found refuge in Ghana in April 2011, was extradited from Ghana to Cote dIvoire. While technically Ghana, at the time, could already send directly to the International Criminal Court. Ghana is indeed a state party to the ICC and therefore had an obligation to return it directly to the International Criminal Court. But we had a little detour. He was first transferred to Côte dIvoire where he was detained for more than a year. And then we witnessed last week in this turnaround: the authorities of Côte dIvoire have finally decided to return to the ICC. Which is obviously something that pleases us, because, as we said, is a key player in violence. And we hope that this extradition to the ICC will be an opportunity for victims to finally hear the truth about his role in the post-election violence in Côte dIvoire. Why him he was transferred, not Simone Gbagbo, the wife of the former president, said that the Ivorian justice be able to judge fairly? This is a very good question. Côte dIvoire has a little jagged with the International Criminal Court attitude, they have transferred almost immediately Laurent Gbagbo at the time. But they continue to say they will judge themselves Simone Gbagbo. And now, Charles Ble Goude is transferred to the ICC. Its a bit complicated. But it is important to remember that the ICC is complementary to national judicial systems. That is to say that it has jurisdiction only when the person is not prosecuted at national level. And this is an assessment that is on a case by case basis. → A (RE) READ: Côte dIvoire: non-transfer of Simone Gbagbo to the ICC a political decision And so, in this case, the Ivory Coast said: For Simone Gbagbo, we have the ability, the will of the judge at the national level. And we have a number of legal proceedings that are already underway. Côte dIvoire has filed a number of papers to the International Criminal Court to prove that they are investigating his role in the violence in Côte dIvoire. So why Simone? Why judge her at the national level and not Charles Ble Goude? This is something that Côte dIvoire has not explained. Are there not a risk, according to you, to revive the debate about the fairness of procedures for the post-election period? I think it is important - and continues to say - remember that it is absolutely essential that the authorities of Côte dIvoire are acting completely impartial and undertake procedures, not only against the allies of Laurent Gbagbo - this is what we see so far: Gbagbo to the ICC, Charles Ble Goude to the ICC, Simone continued at national level, a number of other allied to Gbagbo who continued at the national level .. . But absolutely nothing against the former allies of Alassane Ouattara. And we at Human Rights Wach, we obviously documented very, very serious crimes committed by Alassane Ouattara forces crimes. And we expect that not only the International Criminal Court, but also courses in Côte dIvoire, to initiate proceedings against the other side in the violence. We think it is absolutely essential to the reconciliation process in Côte dIvoire. Does that mean that you think at the moment, we can speak of victors justice? Absolutely. Yet in Côte dIvoire seen victors justice, a totally biased justice, which focuses only on the side that lost the election, Gbagbo that side. This transfer of Charles Ble Goude The Hague place in a particular political context of presidential elections are expected next year. A platform of opposition to Alassane Ouattara grew up in the country. Does this transfer is not likely, again, to stir up tensions and revive a scenario deja vu? I think it is important in this context, again, that the authorities in place - the Ouattara government - show and demonstrate it comes to justice for serious crimes that took place in 2010-2011 that this is not political manipulation, Charles Ble Goude, yes, was transferred because he certainly has very serious responsibilities in the violence. But I think the government, I believe, the relaunch of possible violence you mention absolutely must initiate proceedings against its own supporters, so the side Ouattara, who have been guilty of crime as violence in 2010-2011. → A (RE) READ: Côte dIvoire: Human Rights Watch urges Ouattara to establish an impartial justice I think it all comes down to the same question. If there is justice, that justice must be impartial. The government must show that there is no justice for the victims of Gbagbo, but also justice for victims of atrocities committed by his own side during the violence of 2010-2011. 0 e-mail print inShare On the same subject illustration Charles Ble Goude in the center of ... illustration Côte dIvoire: Charles Ble Goude in ... illustration Côte dIvoire accept ... illustration 2. debate: Charles Ble Goude will ... illustration ICC: Charles Ble Goude appear very ... illustration Côte dIvoire: Charles Ble Goude ... illustration Ble Goude before the ICC: An obstacle to ... illustration Ble Goude before the ICC: the FPI ... illustration Charles Ble Goude in the center of ... illustration Côte dIvoire: Charles Ble Goude in ... illustration Côte dIvoire accept ... illustration 2. debate: Charles Ble Goude will ... illustration ICC: Charles Ble Goude appear very ... illustration Côte dIvoire: Charles Ble Goude ... Prev Next Comments Login | Register 0 Comments developed byViafoura Guest Submit Follow Analysis - reports CÔTE DIVOIRE Goude ICC wheat: An opportunity to hear the truth GERMANY ANGELA MERKEL Germany: 100 days Groko SPAIN MOROCCO Manage the influx of migrants issue enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla CULTURE EXHIBITION Robert Mapplethorpe, nostalgia in full at the Grand Palais BRAZIL FRANCE INDUSTRY Alstom in the heart of a legal storm in Brazil All articles Twitter Advertisements RFI partners rfi LISTEN TO RFI Live World RFI Africa Direct Emissions World Newspapers The African newspapers Easy French newspapers Americas newspapers / Haiti THE COMPANY RFI About RFI Events Press space Key figures The mediator SERVICES Program schedule Mobile / Tablet Selling content TALENT EDITION CD Books Sound Archives FOREIGN LANGUAGES English Brazilian Cambodian Chinese Spanish Hausa Kiswahili Persian Portuguese Romanian Russian Vietnamese OTHER GROUP SITES French language RFI Musique The Academy France 24 Monte Carlo Doualiya How to receive RFI? Join the community RFI on social media Facebook Twitter Google + Instagram Dailymotion Youtube Soundcloud About RFI Write to us Service Pro Become a partner radio Advertising Imprint Copyright © 2014 RFI - All rights reserved RFI is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites Attendance certified by the OJD
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 19:05:32 +0000