ICC to send delegation of prosecutors to DR Congo

The International Criminal Court will send a team of prosecutors to the Democratic Republic of Congo on a five-day trip to urge restraint following a wave of pre-election violence in the country’s capital, Kinshasa, a statement said.

Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said she was “deeply concerned by the critical situation and recent incidents”, particularly deaths in Kinshasa in September, which she said could constitute crimes within the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction.

Dozens were killed as security authorities clashed with opposition anti-Kabila protests that were aimed at pushing the government not to postpone elections.
The country’s opposition have accused President Joseph Kabila of plotting to delay the elections so that he can stay in power longer than stipulated by the constitution.

“My office is closely monitoring the situation on the ground in the DRC, a country where we have been carrying out investigations since 2004,” Bensouda said.

Bensouda said the delegation would meet official national representatives as well as members of political parties, civil society and the press.