[JURIST] Defense lawyers for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba argued before the International Criminal Court (ICC) Tuesday that charges against their client should be dropped. His lawyers argued that he has been denied due process and that the charges are illegal. Bemba was originally set to go on trial on war crimes charges on Tuesday, but the trial was postponed until July 5 to allow the court more time to consider the defense’s motion on the admissibility of the case, filed in February.
In December, the ICC ordered Bemba to remain in custody until his trial. The ruling reversed a decision issued in August ordering Bemba’s conditional release. The order for release was opposed by ICC prosecutors who appealed the original decision. The ICC has ordered Bemba to stand trial for war crimes allegedly committed in the Central African Republic (CAR) from October 2002 to May 2003. Bemba was arrested in Belgium in May 2008 after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest for his actions in the CAR. He was indicted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity and transferred to the ICC in July 2008.