Libyan leaders may face UN arrest warrants for war crimes (& crimes against humanity)

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Reports suggest warrants could include Gaddafi and his son Saif al-Islam in move intended to increase pressure on Tripoli
Ian Black and Jill Treanor | Wednesday May 4 2011

Senior Libyan officials face international arrest warrants for crimes against humanity, the United Nations security council will be told today.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, is to brief the council about crimes committed by Muammar Gaddafi's forces since the Libyan uprising began in mid-February.

Western diplomats say the move is intended to ratchet up international pressure on Tripoli. Ocampo revealed that up to five warrants are likely to be issued in the next few weeks with the approval of the ICC's pre-trial chamber.

No names have been disclosed. But Al-Arabiya TV reported that the warrants could include Gaddafi himself and his son, the discredited reformist Saif al-Islam, who has strong UK links. It said others being targeted include Libya's former foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, who defected to the UK, and Abu Zeyd Omar Dorda, director general of the Libyan External Security Organisation.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/04/libya-war-crimes-icc-un

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Libyan Security Forces Face Prosecutor's War Crimes Charges

Source: Bloomberg Via San Francisco Chronicle

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said there are reasonable grounds to believe that Muammar Qaddafi's security forces committed war crimes and crimes against humanity since unrest in Libya began in February.

"The office of the prosecutor will submit its first application for an arrest warrant" to the court's Pre-Trial Chamber in the coming weeks, the prosecutor, Argentine lawyer Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said in a report to the United Nations Security Council.

Evidence collected by his office shows "security forces allegedly attacking unarmed civilians constituting crimes against humanity" and "the existence of an armed conflict with alleged war crimes," the report said. Sources included 45 interviews, trips to 10 different nations and analysis of 569 documents.

Moreno-Ocampo was authorized by the Security Council to undertake the investigation in a resolution adopted unanimously on Feb. 26. He is scheduled to brief the Security Council on his findings tomorrow.

Full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/05/03/bloomberg1376-LIDBFQ0UQVI901-37C8G7H8T21476CRBHT8O4NNLV.DTL

[me b zola]

1. This is good news

but it is hard to reconcile the UN's indifference to the war crimes of the bush* administration. Hell, the bush* regime used the UN as a forum to legitimize their war crimes.

Ack, my head hurts.

[Mnemosyne]

2. Really. n/t

[Fool Count]

3. Brilliant. That would sure make them give up power and

leave Libya. There is simply no off position on the genius switch with those morons.

[Turborama]

4. Libyan leaders face arrest on war crimes charges

Gaddafi regime systematically opened fire on peaceful protests, says international criminal court prosecutor
Julian Borger, diplomatic editor | Wednesday 4 May 2011 15.23 BST

The Gaddafi regime has committed war crimes against Libyan pro-democracy protesters, opening fire "systematically" on peaceful demonstrations, according to a report to be issued today by the prosecutor for the international criminal court, who will seek arrest warrants against top members of regime later this month.

The prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, has said he will ask judges at the court in The Hague for up to five warrants. He has not named his suspects but in his report to the UN security council today, he will indicate that they include people who gave orders for the alleged atrocities.

"It is indeed a characteristic of the situation in Libya that massive crimes are reportedly committed upon instruction of a few persons who control the organisations that execute the orders," the report says. "Arresting those who ordered the commission of crimes, should the judges decide to issue warrants, will contribute to the protection of civilians in Libya."

=snip=

"Concerning the manner and nature of the crimes, the shooting at peaceful protesters was systematic, following the same modus operandi in multiple locations and executed through security forces," the report says. "The persecution appears to be also systematic and implemented in different cities. War crimes are apparently committed as a matter of policy."

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/04/libyan-leaders-face-arrest-war-crimes

[ronnie624]

5. Excellent. Justice is good.

By contrast, I don't remember ever hearing about international arrest warrants being issued for American war criminals, whose crimes are much greater.

[Turborama]

6. Maybe in Season 2 of Barack Obama's Presidency we could see some really cool things happening

What would it take for him to get America ratified to the ICC? Who would be in charge of building the cases and undertaking the prosecution?

It's quite complicated and a bit over my head, to be honest. Hopefully, one of DU's legal experts could explain the ins and outs and the why nots. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_International_Criminal_Court

[Posteritatis]

7. An ICC ratification isn't likely to happen

The ASPA would have to be repealed - that is a political impossibility on the order of repealing the Patriot Act - and then the ICC treaty would have to be ratified. Both of those would require a gigantic Democratic majority in Congress, which would include a lot of one-term members because of them.

[and-justice-for-all]

8. The same should be applied to the Bush Adminestration..nt

[classysassy]

9. Define War crimes.

Bush's invasion of another country without cause,not a crime.Israel invasion of Lebanon and Gaza and the West bank,not a war crime.Libya's attempt to stop an uprising by the CIA and their paid for rebels a war crime,"Oh what fools we mortals be".Where have all the sane people gone?.