#GlobalJustice Weekly - Rape, sexual enslavement of child soldiers charges stand in ICC trial
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Last week, International Criminal Court (ICC) judges affirmed that the ICC can try former Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda for the alleged war crimes of rape and sexual slavery of child soldiers in his own militia group, the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC).
The decision has garnered attention for its potential to further clarify international humanitarian law protections for all victims of sexual and gender-based crimes during conflict.
Ntaganda’s defense lawyers had long sought to exclude the two charges, which are among 18 war crimes and crimes against humanity charges that judges had already confirmed for trial in June 2014. A successful defense challenge would have effectively denied former UPC child soldiers any ICC possibility of victims reparations for harms related to rape and sexual slavery.
Read more about the ongoing Ntaganda trial before the ICC.
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