Photo: Hans Hordijk/ICC-CPI The Hague — Today, Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Thomas Lubanga Dyilo to a total period of 14 years of imprisonment.
The Chamber, composed of Judge Adrian Fulford, Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito and Judge René Blattmann, also ordered that the time from Mr Lubanga's surrender to the ICC on 16 March 2006 until today should be deducted from this sentence.
Mr Lubanga Dyilo was found guilty, on 14 March 2012, of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate in hostilities in the Ituri region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 1 September 2002 to 13 August 2003.
The Presiding Judge, Adrian Fulford, delivered a summary of the Trial Chamber's decision during an open hearing held today.
He explained that the Chamber considered the gravity of the crimes in the circumstances of this case, with regard, inter alia, to the extent of the damage caused, and in particular "the harm caused to the victims and their families, the nature of the unlawful behaviour and the means employed to execute the crime; the degree of participation of the convicted person; the degree of intent; the circumstances of manner, time and location; and the age, education, social and economic condition of the convicted person".
He highlighted that the crimes for which Mr Lubanga has been convicted, comprising the crimes of conscripting and enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate actively in hostilities, are undoubtedly very serious crimes that affect the international community as a whole.
The Presiding Judge added that the "vulnerability of children mean that they need to be afforded particular protection that does not apply to the general population, as recognised in various international treaties".
Judge Fulford indicated that the Chamber has, however, reflected certain other factors involving Mr Lubanga, namely his notable cooperation with the Court and his respectful attitude throughout the proceedings.
Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito has written a separate and dissenting opinion on a particular issue.
She disagrees with the Majority's decision to the extent that, in her view, it disregards the damage caused to the victims and their families, particularly as a result of the harsh punishments and sexual violence suffered by the victims of these crimes.
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THIS UNJUST RACIALLY IMBALANCED COURT IS ONE OF THE EARTHS LATEST AND TRUEST PARTILA TRAVETSYS OF LAW. WHEN WE SEE THE LIKES OF NETANYAHU BLAIR BUSH CHENEY SARCOZY OBAMA ALIGHTING THIER INFAMY IN HISTORY WITH THIER IGNOBLE DIECTRUCTIVE AND UNFORETOLD DEATH. WHEN WE SEE THIER RECORD OF DEATH MISERY REFUGEES AND AWARDING OF MILITIAS PRIZES. TODAY WE SEE THE CIA ORDERING HITS LIKE COMMON HOODLUMS WETHE PRESIDENT AS THE SHOT CALLER WOW!!!!!! DOES THESE THINSG MAKE SENSE TO LAW ABIDING PEOPLE WORLD WIDE. WHEN WE SEE THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINAIANS DAILY WHO ARE THESE VRIMINALS AND WHY ARE HY ABOVE THE WORLDS LAWS. WE SEE DICTATORS AUTOCRATS PAYING BILLIONS OF POUNDS TO DISTABLISE WHOLE COUNTRIES AND GOVERNMENST AND WE ARE MISLE IN BELIEVING THAT THE SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENST AAWRE TH CULPRITS. HOW IS IT LEGAL TO PAY FOR AN INSURRECTION IBN A COUBNTRY WITH MERCENARIES AND SPIES DESTROYING THE FABRIC OF LAW AND DEMORACY WITH NEW IMPPOSITIONS OF WAR AND DESTRUCTION FOR ANY WHO ARE NOT INCLINED TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE WESTERN REGIMES. WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO BE A FRIEND OF THE WEST YOU MUST SHARE THIER ENEMIES WE MUST NOT SEEK TO MAKE GOOD EARTHLY PEACE LOVE UNDERSTANDING EQUITY RIGHTEOUSS JURISPRUDENCE WE MUST ALL ALLOCATE ORU LIVES TO TERROR MISERY DEATH WARS CONFLICT DEATH DESTRUCTION MISERY ENVY HATE !!!!!! HOW CAN THIS BE RIGHT WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING BAOUT HATE HATE HATE!! THIS IS A BVERY STRONG ADJECTIVE IT POTRAYS FEELINGS OF UNGODLY SATNIC VALUES THAT LEAVE NO ROOM FOR THE PRESSENCE OF "ALL MIGHTY GOD" ANYWHERE IN YOUR BEING. THIS BLOCKS THE HEARING THE LISTENING THE FEELING OF FORWRDNESS IT IS A BRUTAL BACKWARD EMOTION THAT STEMS OF SELFISH DESIRE OF VENGEANCE RETRIBUTION AND MYRIAD OF DEATH CYCLES THAT REINVENT IRTSELF IN ALL FORUMS OF AND DECORUMS. HWO IS THIS A WAY FORWARD IN THE 21ST CENTURY?? THIS IS BARBARIC INSANE INVALUABLE TO THE POTENCY OF BRINGING PEOPK,E TOGETHER. THE ICC IS A WORTHLESS ANOMALY OF WESTERN PREJUDICE WITH INDOCTRINATION OF LEADERS WHO ARE NOT INETERESTED IN BUILDING BLOCKSWITH STRONG AFRICAN COMMITTMENTS TO INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE MORE THAN WORLD CLASS. WHAT I SEE IS UNWORTHY POLTYICIANS THAT HAVE NO SIGHT TO WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HONERABLE RIGHTEOUSS AND NOBLE THESE ARE THE DIEALS OF KINSG. THESE KINSG CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN AFRICAS GREAT LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD HERITAGE AND CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION . THE LAST KING OF ALL EARTHLY KINGS HIS MAJESTY HAILE SELASSIE 1ST WAS THE ONLY EMMINENT AND PROMINENT ROYALTY WHOSE BLOOD IS BASED INTHE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE KINGS OF OF ANTIQUITY WHOSE NOBILITY ASCENDED TO TH ESTABLISHED USE OF TE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND A AFRICAN ORGANISATION OF UNITY WHICH HAS BEEN ALL FOREFRONTED WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE UNITED NATIONS. THESE WEREMEANT TO ESTABLISH NOBILITY EQUITY AND RIGHTEOUSS IMPLIMENTATION OF CIVILZED RULES OF LAWS TO BE INTERPRETED EQUALLY WITH NO BASIS OF COLOUR ETHNICITY NOR RELIGION. WE NOW FIND THE WROLD WE LIVE IN IS FILLED WITH ALL THE ABOVE. THESE ARE PART AND PARCEL OFR THE WESTERN DEOLOGIES OF IGNOMITY. THE LAST AFRICAN KING CONSIDERED THESE THINSG ABHORRENT DIABOLICAL AND UNSATISFACTORY THEY WERE TO EB ABOLSHIED AND TOTALLY ERADICTED FROM ANY PART OF EARTHS FUTURE. YET WE SEE AFRICAN LEADERS STILL HAVE NOT STUDIED THE ROYAL KING INSTEADS BELIEVING IN FALSE KINGS DICTATORS RULERS WHOM WERE NOT ALLOCATED TO BE RULERS BUT ENJOY POWER BY OTHERS BEING WEAK AND COMLACENTAND SUBMISSIVE. THESE ARE THEY WHO REFUSE TO INVEST IN THE AWAKENING OF THIER PEOPLE TO INCREASE THIER STANDARD INLIFE SUPPLYING NO VISION AND STRONG DIRECTION. WE CAN NOT LOSE WITH HONOUR, IS TRHAT HARD? OR SO VERY EASY!!!!!. WHY WOULD THE "ALL MIGHTY GOD" MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR HIS CREATION ?? HE WOULD NOT" THIS IS WHY WE HAVE CERTAIN LAWS THAT WERE GIVEN TO US ;WE CAN MAKE THEM SIMPLE JUST BY APPLYING THEM TO YOUR DAILY LIFE NOT ADHEREING TO FALSE AND INCORRECT LAWS SUCH AS SODOMY AND ALL THE PERVERSIONS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT TRUE RIGHTEOUS TEACHERS. NOBILITY IS A RIGHT OF BIRTH AND ALL AFRICNS HAVE THE BIRTHRIGHT BUT ARE RELINQUISHING THIER RIGHTS TO BECOME FOLLOWERERS OF WICKED AND IGNOBLE WAYS. THIS COURT IS NOT BASED ON RIGHETOUSNESS AND FORGIENESS WHICH IS AFRICAN AND WAS TAUGHT BY CHRIST DO YOU REMEMBER ?? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE GLORY OF THE' PRINCE OF PEACE CHRIST ' THE PRINCE"" HAVE WE FORGOTTEN HIS WORDS THE " THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH BUT THE GIFT OF "ALL MIGHTY GOD" IS ETERNAL LIFE""" HOW CAN WE FORGET THESE WORDS?? DO WE SEEK LIFE FOREVER MORE, OR IS IT THE TORMENT OF THE FIRE. THIS COURT IS FOOLISHNESS AND I DO NOT SEE HOW IT ADDRESSES ANY AFRICANS JUSTICE?? AFRICANS LIKE TO FORGIVE CREATE ANMESTY LIVE IN HARMONY ALLOWING FOR REPENTENACE NOT PUNISHMENT WITH VEANGANCE THIS IS NOT OUR WAY. WE ARE NOT A HATEFUL NOR VENGANCE FILLED PEOPLE "LEAVE THIS FOR THE DEAD LET THEM BURY THIER DEAD""" THIS IS NOT WHAT WE SEEK TO JOIN???
I do agree with Ras Sideeq that the so-called ICC is nothing but a farce. It only pays back in bad coins all those Africans who are used to supply arms to their people by the West in order to steal the wealth of Africa. It is a real discrace to justice to let a gay President like Obama, a killer like Bush, a rogue like Blair and a monster like Sarkozy parade the earth with impunity while Africans like Taylor, Lubanga, and others languish in common jail. SHAME TO THE ICC. IT MUST BE FOR THE WEST AND NOT AFRICA!!!