Ivory Coast: the ICC rejects Charles Blé Goudé's request for reparations
The former leader of the Young Patriots Charles Blé Goudé claimed nearly 820,000 euros in damage from the Court (illustrative image) Peter Dejong / POOL / AFP
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Charles Blé Goudé will not receive any compensation for the approximately eight years spent in The Hague.
The judges of the International Criminal Court (ICJ) rejected his request on Thursday, February 10.
Definitively acquitted of crimes against humanity at the end of March 2021, the former leader of the Young Patriots claimed nearly 820,000 euros in damages from the Court.
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With our correspondent in The Hague,
Stéphanie Maupas
The Court has never awarded reparations to the acquitted.
It imposes very high criteria to obtain them.
In this decision, the judges write that Charles Blé Goudé was not the victim of abusive prosecution.
And that the failure of the accusation does not mean that there is a miscarriage of justice.
The judges also looked into the current situation of Charles Blé Goudé, for which
he also claimed compensation
.
The acquitted still cannot leave the Netherlands freely, for lack of a passport.
A passport that the Ivorian authorities have still not issued.
“
A situation which escapes the control of the Court
”, write the judges.
►Also read: The ICC Appeals Chamber confirms the acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé
They add that the conditions imposed by the Netherlands, which accept the ex-detainee on their territory without his having either status, papers or social security, are neither the fault of the Court nor the fault of the prosecutor.
Although they also rejected the claims for compensation on this point, the judges nevertheless asked the registry "
to help the applicant to return quickly to Côte d'Ivoire
", and in the meantime, to obtain from the Netherlands the lifting, at the less partial, of the measures imposed on the acquitted.
Until then, Charles Blé Goudé will continue to report to the Dutch police every week.
►
To read and listen
: Charles Blé Goudé: "I am working to be able to return to my country"
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Ivory Coast
International Justice
Charles Blé Goude