The International Criminal Court (ICC) has launched confirmation of charges proceedings against Joseph Kony, the fugitive leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), in The Hague. The hearings, which opened on Tuesday, September 9, will run for three days.
Kony, who remains at large, is accused of masterminding a brutal insurgency that spanned more than two decades, resulting in over 100,000 deaths and the displacement of 1.5 million people. He faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, enslavement, and the forced recruitment of children into armed conflict.
Although the former warlord is not in ICC custody, court-appointed defense lawyers are present to represent his interests. Victims of the atrocities are also legally represented, with the court hearing oral submissions from the prosecution, defense, and victims’ counsel.
To bridge the gap between the courtroom and communities most affected by the violence, the ICC’s Outreach Office in Uganda is organizing live screenings of the hearings. One such screening is planned at Gulu Secondary School in Gulu City, a region that bore the brunt of the LRA’s terror.
Maria Mabinty Kamara, the ICC’s Public Information and Outreach Coordinator in Uganda, emphasized the importance of these efforts: “The ICC will hold community screenings to ensure victims and affected communities can follow the proceedings.”
The case against Kony follows the 2021 conviction of Dominic Ongwen, one of his top lieutenants, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence for similar crimes.
