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Requirements for Victim Participation

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Book cover Victim Participation in International Criminal Justice

Part of the book series: International Criminal Justice Series ((ICJS,volume 11))

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Abstract

Being recognised as a participating victim at the International Criminal Court (ICC) or the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), or as a civil party at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) carries with it a procedural role that is unprecedented in other international jurisdictions. It is therefore unsurprising that the admission of victims to that status has itself been the subject of much jurisprudence. This is particularly true at the ICC, which, in its more than 10 years of existence, has accumulated a considerable amount of jurisprudence on the standards applied regarding who may qualify to participate in the proceedings. The three courts have each adopted a legal definition of who is a ‘victim’ for the purpose of participation as well as other rules on the requirements that an application for participation or an application to be a civil party must satisfy. The interpretation of these rules and the context in which judges and chambers have applied them have either enabled or limited participation. This chapter aims at describing the different requirements that judges and chambers of the ICC, STL and ECCC have so far applied when deciding on victims’ applications to participate, having in mind the practical implications and challenges this has for a practitioner who assists a victim in this process. It thus describes who may be considered as a victim as per the definition of the courts and what information and documents should be submitted in an application to enable the relevant decision-makers to determine an application.

Heloise Dumont is currently Associate Legal Officer at the Registry of the International Criminal Court. The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Criminal Court.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Rule 2 common to the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (IT/32/Rev. 49, (2013)) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ITR/3/Rev. 1, (2015)) which restricted the definition of victim to ‘a person against whom a crime over which the Tribunal has jurisdiction has allegedly been committed’, and did not include indirect victims, such as family members and dependents of a direct victim.

  2. 2.

    UN Doc. A/RES/40/34 1985.

  3. 3.

    UN Doc. A/RES/60/147 2006 (the ‘Basic Principles’).

  4. 4.

    Explanatory Memorandum by the Tribunal’s President (2010), para 19 cited in STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 30.

  5. 5.

    Rev. 9 (2015) (the ‘ECCC Internal Rules’).

  6. 6.

    See also Article 3.2(a) of the ECCC Practice Direction on Victim Participation, 02/2007/Rev.1 (2008). This chapter deals only with victims participating as civil parties, whose dual purpose is defined in Rule 23(1) of the ECCC Internal Rules, as: ‘a) Participat[ing] in criminal proceedings against those responsible within the jurisdiction of the ECCC by supporting the prosecution; and b) Seek[ing] collective and moral reparations […]’. It will not deal with ‘victim-complainants’, i.e. victims who file a complaint with the ECCC in order to make the Co-Prosecutors aware of specific crimes (pursuant to Article 2 of the ECCC Practice Direction on Victim Participation). Such ‘victim-complainants’ do not enjoy further procedural rights: they cannot participate and cannot request reparations.

  7. 7.

    See Chap. 2 for the various application procedures.

  8. 8.

    For the ICC, see Regulation 86(1) of the ICC Regulations of the Court, ICC-BD/01-03-11 (2011). The language of the text does not make the use of the Standard Application form compulsory, and some chambers have accepted applications not submitted on this support. See ICC, Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of VPRS 1, VPRS 2, VPRS 3, VPRS 4, VPRS 5 and VPRS 6, ICC-01/04 -101-tEN-Corr, 22 March 2006, para 102; ECCC Practice Direction on Victim Participation, Articles 3.4, 3.6 and 3.7.

  9. 9.

    A ‘partly collective approach’ was used alongside the traditional individual application process in the context of participation at the pre-trial stage of Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, see ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Second decision on issues related to the victims’ application process, ICC-02/11-01/11-86, 5 April 2012, para 17. The Single Judge in the pre-trial stage of Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda introduced a one-page application form for participation in the confirmation of charges hearing, see ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision Establishing Principles on the Victims’ Application Process, ICC-01/04-02/06-67, 28 May 2013, paras 17–25. Simplified forms have also been ordered to be used since then, see ICC, Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision Establishing Principles on the Victims’ Application Process, ICC-02/04-01/15-205, 4 March 2015, para 19; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on Victims’ Participation in Trial Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, para 24; and ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victim Participation, ICC-02/11-01/11-800, 6 March 2015, para 50.

  10. 10.

    Under this system, only those victims who wished to appear in person were required to apply for participation through the regular application process established in Rule 89 of the ICC RPE, and have their applications judicially assessed. All other victims, who wished to express their views and concerns only through a legal representative, did not need to apply for participation, but could register with the Registry by submitting their names, contact information, and information regarding the harm suffered. Moreover, unregistered victims were also to be represented, in a general way, through common legal representation. See ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang, Trial Chamber V, Decision on Victims’ Representation and Participation, ICC-01/09-01/11-460, 3 October 2012, paras 25, 48–50, 52, 56–58; ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura and Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, Trial Chamber V, Decision on Victims’ Representation and Participation, ICC-01/09-02/11-498, 3 October 2012, paras 24, 47–49, 51, 55–57.

  11. 11.

    Rule 89 of the ICC RPE and Regulation 86(5) and (6) of the ICC Regulations of the Court provide that the ICC Registry transmits applications received to the chamber, along with a report, as well as to the parties; the Victims’ Participation Unit of the STL Registry is in charge of the verification of the completeness of the applications received and, subsequently, their transmission to the Pre-Trial Judge, along with a report (see Chap. 2). At the ECCC, applications to join as civil party must be sent to the Victims Unit, which forwards applications received to the Greffier of the Office of the Co-Investigating Judges along with a report (Articles 3.4 and 3.7 of the ECCC Practice Direction on Victim Participation).

  12. 12.

    Commonly these are: (i) the identity of the applicant; (ii) the date of the crime(s); (iii) the location of the crime(s); (iv) a description of the harm suffered as a result of the commission of any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court; (v) proof of identity; (vi) if the application is made by a person acting with the consent of the victim, the express consent of that victim; (vii) if the application is made by a person acting on behalf of a victim, in the case of a victim who is a child, proof of kinship or legal guardianship; or, in the case of a victim who is disabled, proof of legal guardianship; (viii) a signature or thumb-print of the Applicant on the document at the very least on the last page of the application. See, for example, ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision Establishing Principles on the Victims’ Application Process, ICC-01/04-02/06-67, 28 May 2013, para 30; ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 71; ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Decision on the Treatment of Applications for Participation, ICC-01/04-01/07-933-tENG, 26 February 2009, para 28.

  13. 13.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Redacted Version of the Decision on the Applications by 7 Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04- 01/06-2764-Red, 25 July 2011, para 23.

  14. 14.

    Explanatory Memorandum by the Tribunal’s President, November 2010, para 19, cited in STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, paras 22–25.

  15. 15.

    Written correspondence with Eleonor Fernandez, Senior legal consultant, Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers Section, ECCC, 23 and 29 March 2015 (records on file with the author).

  16. 16.

    ICC: similar tests have been applied by Chambers, albeit with some variations, see for example: ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on victims’ participation in trial proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, para 43; ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 772 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1017, 18 November 2010, para 38; ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, Trial Chamber IV, Decision on 19 applications to participate in the proceedings, ICC-02/05-03/09-528, 12 December 2013, para 19. See STL RPE, Rule 2; ECCC Internal Rules, Rule 23bis(1).

  17. 17.

    See for example, ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 36; ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to the Second decision on victims’ participation at the confirmation of charges hearing and in the related proceedings, ICC-02/11-01/11-384-Corr, 6 February 2013 (corrigendum notified on 8 February 2013), para 28; STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 33. At the ECCC, the Co-Investigating Judges have used a flexible approach when deciding the types of documents accepted to establish the applicant’s identity. See for example ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007-ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, para 95; ECCC, Case 001, Trial Chamber, Decision of the Trial Chamber concerning Proof of Identity for Civil Party Applicants, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 26 February 2009, paras 6–8.

  18. 18.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 53; ICC, Prosecutor v. Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi, Trial Chamber VIII, Public redacted version of ‘Decision on Victim Participation at Trial and on Common Legal Representation of Victims’, ICC-01/12-01/15-97-Red, 8 June 2016, paras 23–25.

  19. 19.

    See ICC RPE, Rule 89(3). At the STL, an application can be brought by a person acting on the applicant’s behalf when he or she is a minor (which, in line with the Lebanese Civil Code, is a person under 18 years of age) or otherwise lacks legal capacity. STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 31.

  20. 20.

    See, for example ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 38; ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-01/11-249, 5 August 2011, para 43; STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, paras 31–32.

  21. 21.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Kony et al., Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on victims’ applications for participation a/0010/06, a/0064/06 to a/0070/06, a/0081/06, a/0082/06, a/0084/06 to a/0089/06, a/0091/06 to a/0097/06, a/0099/06,a/0100/06, a/0102/06 to a/0104/06, a/0111/06, a/0113/06 to a/0117/06, a/0120/0, ICC-02/04-01/05-282, 14 March 2008, para 7; ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 20008, para 38; ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Decision on the treatment of applications for participation, ICC-01/04-01/07-933-tENG, 26 February 2009, para 28.

  22. 22.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-1556-Corr-Anx1, 13 January 2009, paras 67–72.

  23. 23.

    ICC, Situation in Uganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on victims’ applications for participation a/0014/07 to a/0020/07 and a/0076/07 to a/0125/07, ICC-02/04-172, 21 November 2008, paras 19–20; ICC, Situation in Darfur, Sudan, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of Applicants a/0011/06 to a/0015/06, a/0021/07, a/0023/07 to a/0033/07 and a/0035/07 to a/0038/07, ICC-02/05-111-Corr, 14 December 2007, paras 32–33.

  24. 24.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-1556-Corr-Anx1, 13 January 2009, para 94; ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Decision on the Treatment of Applications for Participation, ICC-01/04-01/07-933-tENG, 26 February 2009, para 39. See also ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé, Trial Chamber I, Decision on victims’ participation status, ICC-02/11-01/15-379, 7 January 2016, para 60.

  25. 25.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-1556-Corr-Anx1, 13 January 2009, para 78.

  26. 26.

    ICC RPE, Rule 89(3). In the Darfur situation a person was denied the possibility to present applications on behalf of members of his family who had disappeared, as the Single Judge found that if these alleged victims were still alive, their express consent had to be given. There is however a possibility for the affected family member to apply for participation on his own behalf. ICC, Situation in Darfur, Sudan, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of Applicants a/0011/06 to a/0015/06, a/0021/07, a/0023/07 to a/0033/07 and a/0035/07 to a/0038/07, ICC-02/05-111-Corr, 14 December 2007, para 35.

  27. 27.

    Written correspondence with Eleonor Fernandez, senior legal consultant, Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers Section, ECCC, 23 and 29 March 2015 (records on file with the author).

  28. 28.

    ECCC Practice Direction on Victim Participation, Article 5.1.

  29. 29.

    Ibid., Articles 5.2., 5.5 and 5.8.

  30. 30.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, paras 44–48; In paras 48–49, the Chamber indicated that ‘The successors must clearly indicate in the application form whether they act on their own behalf and on behalf of the deceased person. Further, the applicant must provide the sufficient information on: (i) the identity of the deceased person, (ii) the identity of the successor, and (iii) the kinship between the successor and the deceased.’

  31. 31.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Corrigendum to the Decision on the participation of victims in the trial and on 86 applications by victims to participate in the proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-807-Corr, 12 July 2010, paras 78–85.

  32. 32.

    ICC, Situation in Darfur, Sudan, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of Applicants a/0011/06 to a/0015/06, a/0021/07, a/0023/07 to a/0033/07 and a/0035/07 to a/0038/07, ICC-02/05-111-Corr, 14 December 2007, para 35.

  33. 33.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Public Redacted Version of Grounds for the Decision on the 345 Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by Victims, ICC-01/04-01/07-1491-Red-tENG, 23 September 2009, paras 49–56; See also ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 47.

  34. 34.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to the Second Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-02/11-01/11-384-Corr, 6 February 2013 (corrigendum notified on 8 February 2013), para 39; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on Victims’ Participation in Trial Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, para 48.

  35. 35.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Public Redacted Version of Grounds for the Decision on the 345 Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by Victims, ICC-01/04-01/07-1491-Red, 23 September 2009, para 30; ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Decision on the applications to resume action submitted by the family members of deceased Victims a/0025/08, a/0051/08, a/0197/08 and a/0311/09, ICC-01/04-01/07-3018-tENG, 14 June 2011, para 20; ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Decision on the application to resume action, submitted by a family member of deceased Victim a/0253/09, ICC-01/04-01/07-3383-tENG, 10 June 2013, para 6; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Fourth decision on victims’ participation in trial proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-805, 1 September 2015; ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on “Requête relative à la reprise des actions introduites devant la Cour par des victimes décédées”, ICC-01/05-01/08-3346, 24 March 2016.

  36. 36.

    ICC, Prosecutor v Ngudjolo Chui, Appeals Chamber, Decision on the Participation of Anonymous Victims in the Appeal and on the Maintenance of Deceased Victims on the List of Participating victims, ICC-01/04-02/12-140, 23 September 2013, paras 25–26.

  37. 37.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on “Requête relative à la reprise des actions introduites devant la Cour par des victimes décédées”, ICC-01/05-01/08-3346, 24 March 2016, para 22 citing ICC, Prosecutor v. Ngudjolo Chui, Appeals Chamber, Decision on the Participation of Anonymous Victims in the Appeal and on the Maintenance of Deceased Victims on the List of Participating victims, ICC-01/04-02/12-140, 23 September 2013, para 26 footnote 48. See further Chap. 14.

  38. 38.

    ECCC, Case 001, Trial Chamber, Decision on Motion Regarding Deceased Civil Party, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 13 March 2009, paras 10–13. See further Chap. 14.

  39. 39.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/04-01/06-1119, 18 January 2008, para 92.

  40. 40.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Public Redacted Version of “Decision on the 52 Applications for Participation at the Pre-Trial Stage of the Case”, ICC-02/05-02/09-147-Red, 9 October 2009, paras 25, 33 and 42.

  41. 41.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, paras 31–32.

  42. 42.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the 97 Applications for Participation at the Pre-Trial Stage of the Case, ICC‐01/04‐01/07‐579, 10 June 2008, para 71.

  43. 43.

    ICC, Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of VPRS 1, VPRS 2, VPRS 3, VPRS 4, VPRS 5 and VPRS 6, ICC-01/04-101-tEN-Corr, 22 March 2006, para 147.

  44. 44.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre Trial Chamber III, Public redacted version of ANNEX to “Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation”, ICC-01/05-01/08-320-Anx-Red, 15 December 2008, 28 May 2013, paras 2–3.

  45. 45.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 29.

  46. 46.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, para 32.

  47. 47.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, Trial Chamber IV, Decision on 19 Applications to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-02/05-03/09-528, 12 December 2013, para 27.

  48. 48.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, para 35.

  49. 49.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-211, 15 January 2014, para 33.

  50. 50.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abaker Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Hearing on the Confirmation of the Charges, ICC-02/05-03/09-89, 29 October 2010, para 39.

  51. 51.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 57.

  52. 52.

    Article 25(4) of the Statute of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL Statute) and STL RPE, Rule 86(G).

  53. 53.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 58.

  54. 54.

    Ibid., para 65.

  55. 55.

    Ibid., para 78.

  56. 56.

    Ibid., para 78.

  57. 57.

    Ibid., para 72.

  58. 58.

    ECCC, Case 001, Supreme Court Chamber, Appeal Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/SC, 3 February 2012, para 415.

  59. 59.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the Appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, paras 1 and 35.

  60. 60.

    ICC RPE, Rule 85(b).

  61. 61.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the Appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, para 32.

  62. 62.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Redacted version of “Decision on ‘indirect victims’”, ICC-01/04-01/06-1813, 8 April 2009, para 44.

  63. 63.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Redacted version of “Decision on ‘indirect victims’”, ICC-01/04-01/06-1813, 8 April 2009, para 50; ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, Trial Chamber IV, Decision on 19 Applications to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-02/05-03/09-528, 12 December 2013, para 26.

  64. 64.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 772 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1017, 18 November 2010, para 44.

  65. 65.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-1556-Corr-Anx1, 13 January 2009, paras 107–111.

  66. 66.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Redacted version of “Decision on ‘Indirect Victims’”, ICC-01/04-01/06-1813, 8 April 2009, para 52.

  67. 67.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 40.

  68. 68.

    Written correspondence with Kinga Tibori-Szabó, former associate legal officer, Legal Representatives of Victims, STL, 13 May 2015 (records on file with the author).

  69. 69.

    ECCC, Case 001, Trial Chamber, Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 26 July 2010, para 642.

  70. 70.

    ECCC, Case 001, Supreme Court Chamber, Appeal Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/SC, 3 February 2012, para 416.

  71. 71.

    Ibid., paras 415–416.

  72. 72.

    Ibid., para 418.

  73. 73.

    Ibid., para 417.

  74. 74.

    Pham et al. 2011, p. 269.

  75. 75.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 60. The status of a victim does not differ depending on whether he or she has been recognised as a victim of one, or more than one, crime allegedly committed by the suspect or accused. See ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-211, 15 January 2014, para 27.

  76. 76.

    ICC, Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on victim participation in the investigation stage of the proceedings in the appeal of the OPCD against the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I of 7 December 2007 and in the appeals of the OPCD and the Prosecutor against the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I of 24 December 2007, ICC-01/04-556, 19 December 2008.

  77. 77.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-01/11-249, 5 August 2011, para 36.

  78. 78.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 270 applications by victims to participate in the proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1862, 25 October 2011, para 24. See also ICC, Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on contested victims’ applications for participation, legal representation of victims and their procedural rights, ICC-02/04-01/15-350, 27 November 2015, para 13.

  79. 79.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Corrigendum to the Decision on the participation of victims in the trial and on 86 applications by victims to participate in the proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-807-Corr, 12 July 2010, para 96.

  80. 80.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Public Redacted Version of Grounds for the Decision on the 345 Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by Victims, ICC-01/04-01/07-1491-Red-tENG, 23 September 2009, para 82.

  81. 81.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Second Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-251, 7 February 2014, para 29.

  82. 82.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 772 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1017, 18 November 2010, para 58.

  83. 83.

    It is to be noted, however, that according to Regulation 86(2)(d) of the ICC Regulations of the Court, the application should contain the identification of the perpetrator ‘to the extent possible’.

  84. 84.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Callixte Mbarushimana, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the 138 Applications for Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings ICC-01/04-01/10-351, 11 August 2011, paras 36–39; See also, ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, paras 32–34. In the same manner, the Trial Chamber in the Bemba case decided on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the circumstances, and in the absence of any indication that the alleged crimes were attributable to perpetrators other than those linked to the case. The mere reference to other persons or warring groups in the application would not, as such, automatically serve to exclude the applicant. ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 653 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceeding, ICC-01/05-01/08-1091, 23 December 2010, para 27.

  85. 85.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Charles Blé Goudé, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on victims’ Participation in the Pre-Trial Proceedings and Related Issues, ICC-02/11-02/11-83, 11 June 2014, paras 12–18.

  86. 86.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abaker Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Hearing on the Confirmation of the Charges, ICC-02/05-03/09-89, 29 October 2010, paras 6–10.

  87. 87.

    Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on the “Demande de participation de neuf victimes admises dans le procès de M. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo”, ICC-01/04-02/06-75, 26 June 2013, paras 13–17.

  88. 88.

    See STL Statute, Articles 2 and 25, and STL RPE, Rule 86(G).

  89. 89.

    STL Statute, Article 25.

  90. 90.

    STL RPE, Rule 86(A) and (G).

  91. 91.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, Public with ex-parte annex, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 2 May 2013, paras 14–15.

  92. 92.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 51.

  93. 93.

    ECCC, Case 001, Trial Chamber, Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 26 July 2010, para 644.

  94. 94.

    ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, paras 77–78.

  95. 95.

    ICC, Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of VPRS 1, VPRS 2, VPRS 3, VPRS 4, VPRS 5 and VPRS 6, ICC-01/04-101-tEN-Corr, 22 March 2006, para 94.

  96. 96.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by VPRS 1 to VPRS 6 in the Case the Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, ICC-01/04-01/06 -172-tEN, 29 June 2006, p. 6.

  97. 97.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 66 and ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-01/11-249, 5 August 2011, para 52.

  98. 98.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, paras 76–77.

  99. 99.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to the Second Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-02/11-01/11-384-Corr, 6 February 2013 (corrigendum notified on 8 February 2013), para 32; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on Victims’ Participation in Trial Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, para 50.

  100. 100.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-1556-Corr-Anx1, 13 January 2009, para 56.

  101. 101.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abaker Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Hearing on the Confirmation of the Charges, ICC-02/05-03/09-89, 29 October 2010, para 37.

  102. 102.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 2 May 2013, paras 26–27.

  103. 103.

    ICC, Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on the Applications for Participation in the Proceedings of VPRS 1, VPRS 2, VPRS 3, VPRS 4, VPRS 5 and VPRS 6, ICC-01/04-101-tEN-Corr, 22 March 2006, paras 99–100.

  104. 104.

    See, for example, ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 31; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on Victims’ Participation in Trial Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, paras 30, 36 and 44.

  105. 105.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/04-01/06-1119, 18 January 2008, para 99. This principle was applied mutadis mutandis at the trial stage. See ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 270 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1862, 25 October 2011, para 27.

  106. 106.

    See ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation and Victims’ Common Legal Representation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-02/11-01/11-138, 4 June 2012, para 21; ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 31.

  107. 107.

    ICC, Situation in Uganda, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the appeals of the Defence against the Decisions entitled “Decision on Victims’ Applications for Participation a/0010/06, a/0064/06 to a/0070/06, a/0081/06, a/0082/06, a/0084/06 to a/0089/06, a/0091/06 to a/0097/06, a/0099/06, a/0100/06, a/0102/06 to a/0104/06, a/0111/06, a/0113/06 to a/0117/06, a/0120/06, a/0121/06 and a/0123/06 to a/0127/06” of Pre-Trial Chamber II, ICC-02/04-01/05-371, 23 February 2009, para 2. See also ICC, Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on contested victims’ applications for participation, legal representation of victims and their procedural rights, ICC-02/04-01/15-350, 27 November 2015, para 11.

  108. 108.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 418 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-2011, 15 December 2011, paras 19–20.

  109. 109.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Order Issuing Confidential and Public Redacted Versions of Annex A to the “Decision on the Applications by 7 Victims to Participate in the Proceedings” of 10 July 2009 (ICC-01/04-01/06-2035), ICC-01/04-01/06-2065-Anx2-RSC, 23 July 2009, p. 10; ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Decision on 32 Applications to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-3045-Red2, 27 August 2013, para 166.

  110. 110.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 27.

  111. 111.

    ECCC, Case 001, Supreme Court Chamber, Appeal Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/SC, 3 February 2012, para 523.

  112. 112.

    ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, para 94.

  113. 113.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber, Judgment Pursuant to Article 74 of the Statute, ICC-01/04-01/06-2842, 14 March 2012, paras 484 and 1362. See Chap. 14.

  114. 114.

    On appeal, the Supreme Court Chamber found that although the Trial Chamber did not commit an error of law by conducting an evaluation of victimhood based on the Trial Judgment, there ‘appeared to have been a fundamental misunderstanding between the Trial Chamber and the Civil Party Appellants as to the merits and legal effect of the initial review of the applications’ at an earlier stage, and granted the civil party appellants’ motions to submit additional evidence, irrespective of whether such evidence would have been available during the first instance proceedings. ECCC, Case 001, Supreme Court Chamber, Appeal Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/SC, 3 February 2012, paras 500–501.

  115. 115.

    See Sect. 3.2.1.1.

  116. 116.

    See ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/04-01/06-1119, 18 January 2008, para 87.

  117. 117.

    See ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 36; ICC, Prosecutor v. Laurent Gbagbo, Pre-Trial Chamber I, Corrigendum to the Second Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-02/11-01/11-384-Corr, 6 February 2013 (corrigendum notified on 8 February 2013), para 28.

  118. 118.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 772 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1017, 18 November 2010, para 41.

  119. 119.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-02/11-23, 30 March 2011, para 7; ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-01/11-17, 30 March 2011, para 7.

  120. 120.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 418 applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-2011, 15 December 2011, para 17.

  121. 121.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Redacted version of the Decision on the applications by 7 victims to participate in the proceedings, ICC-01/04-01/06-2764-Red, 25 July 2011, para 28.

  122. 122.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 270 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1862, 25 October 2011, para 25.

  123. 123.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 418 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-2011, 15 December 2011, para 17.

  124. 124.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Corrigendum to the Decision on 401 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings and Setting a Final Deadline for the Submission of New Victims’ Applications to the Registry, ICC-01/05-01/08-1590-Corr, 21 July 2011, para 35.

  125. 125.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 37; ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-02/11-23, 30 March 2011, para 8; ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-01/11-17, 30 March 2011, para 8.

  126. 126.

    These are ‘(i) National ID Waiting Card; (ii) Chief’s Identification Letter which provides certain basic information […]; (iv) Clinic Cards (for minors); (v) Kenya Police Abstract Form (for lost national identity cards or Kenyan passports); (vi) a signed declaration from two witnesses accompanied by their proof of identity—attesting to the identity of the victim applicant.’ See ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-02/11-23, 30 March 2011, para 9; ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-01/11-17, 30 March 2011, para 9.

  127. 127.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-211, 15 January 2014, para 23. See also ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 270 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1862, 25 October 2011, para 28; ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Trial Chamber VI, Decision on Victims’ Participation in Trial Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-449, 6 February 2015, para 46.

  128. 128.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 270 applications by victims to participate in the proceedings, ICC-01/05-01/08-1862, 25 October 2011, para 28.

  129. 129.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Public Redacted Version of Grounds for the Decision on the 345 Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by Victims, ICC-01/04-01/07-1491-Red-tENG, 23 September 2009, para 32.

  130. 130.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 33(i).

  131. 131.

    Ibid., para 33 (ii).

  132. 132.

    Ibid., para 34.

  133. 133.

    ECCC, Case 001, Decision of the Trial Chamber Concerning Proof of Identity for Civil Party Applicants, Trial Chamber, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 26 February 2009, para 6.

  134. 134.

    ECCC, Case 001, Trial Chamber, Decision on the Civil Party Status of Applicants E2/36, E2/51 and E2/69, Case No. 001/18-07-2007/ECCC/TC, 4 March 2009, p. 2.

  135. 135.

    ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals Against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, para 95.

  136. 136.

    Written correspondence with Eleonor Fernandez, Senior legal consultant, Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers Section, ECCC, 23 and 29 March 2015 (records on file with the author).

  137. 137.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/09-02/11-267, 26 August 2011, para 63; ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Pre-Trial Chamber III, Fourth Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/05-01/08-320, 12 December 2008, para 72.

  138. 138.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Trial Chamber III, Decision on 653 Applications by Victims to Participate in the Proceeding, ICC-01/05-01/08-1091, 23 December 2010, para 31.

  139. 139.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda, Pre-Trial Chamber II, Decision on Victims’ Participation at the Confirmation of Charges Hearing and in the Related Proceedings, ICC-01/04-02/06-211, 15 January 2014, para 62.

  140. 140.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Trial Chamber I, Decision on Victims’ Participation, ICC-01/04-01/06-1119, 18 January 2008, para 89; ICC, Prosecutor v. Francis Kirimi Muthaura, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Mohammed Hussein Ali, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-02/11-23, 30 March 2011, para 10; ICC, Prosecutor v. William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang, Pre-Trial Chamber II, First Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Case, ICC-01/09-01/11-17, 30 March 2011, para 10.

  141. 141.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, para 74.

  142. 142.

    Ibid., para 67. See also para 52, in which the Pre-Trial Judge held the following in relation to the proof requirements of direct result: ‘What evidence (be it documentary or otherwise) is sufficient to satisfy this requirement should be assessed on a case by case basis and taking into account all relevant circumstances. […] If all reasonable steps to provide official documents or a written statement to that effect have been taken, but yielded no results, applicants must notify the Pre-Trial Judge of the impossibility of producing the required documents and the reasons therefor.’

  143. 143.

    Written correspondence with Megan Hirst, former legal officer, Victims’ Participation Unit, STL, 7 March 2015 (records on file with the author).

  144. 144.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, paras 62 and 67.

  145. 145.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, paras 74–75.

  146. 146.

    Ibid., para 79.

  147. 147.

    Ibid., para 52.

  148. 148.

    Ibid., para 54.

  149. 149.

    Written correspondence with Eleonor Fernandez, Senior legal Consultant, Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers Section, ECCC, 23 and 29 March 2015 (records on file with the author).

  150. 150.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the Appeals of the Prosecutor and the Defence against Trial Chamber I’s Decision on Victims’ Participation of 18 January 2008, ICC-01/04-01/06-1432, 11 July 2008, para 32.

  151. 151.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Kony et al., Appeals Chamber, Judgment on the Appeals of the Defence Against the Decisions Entitled “Decision on victims’ applications for participation a/0010/06, a/0064/06 to a/0070/06, a/0081/06, a/0082/06, a/0084/06 to a/0089/06, a/0091/06 to a/0097/06, a/0099/06, a/0100/06, a/0102/06 to a/0104/06, a/0111/06, a/0113/06 to a/0117/06, a/0120/06, a/0121/06 and a/0123/06 to a/0127/06” of Pre-Trial Chamber II, ICC-02/04-01/05-371, 23 February 2009, para 1.

  152. 152.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, Trial Chamber II, Public Redacted Version of Grounds for the Decision on the 345 Applications for Participation in the Proceedings Submitted by Victims, ICC-01/04-01/07-1491-Red, 23 September 2009, para 38.

  153. 153.

    ICC, Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain, Trial Chamber IV, Decision on 19 Applications to Participate in the Proceedings, ICC-02/05-03/09-528, 12 December 2013, paras 34–35.

  154. 154.

    Ibid., para 36.

  155. 155.

    STL, Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., Pre-Trial Judge, Decision on Victims’ Participation in the Proceedings, STL-11-01/PT/PTJ, 8 May 2012, paras 50 and 82.

  156. 156.

    Ibid., para 84.

  157. 157.

    Written correspondence with Megan Hirst, former legal officer, Victims’ Participation Unit, STL, 14 May 2015 (records on file with the author).

  158. 158.

    ECCC, Case 001, Supreme Court Chamber, Appeal Judgment, Case No. 001/18-07-/2007/ECCC/SC, 3 February 2012, paras 547 and 551.

  159. 159.

    Ibid., para 526.

  160. 160.

    See ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals Against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, para 86.

  161. 161.

    See ECCC, Case 002, Pre-Trial Chamber, Decision on Appeals Against Orders of the Co-Investigating Judges on the Admissibility of Civil Party Applications, Case No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/OCIJ, 24 June 2011, para 93.

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    Heloise Dumont

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Dumont, H. (2017). Requirements for Victim Participation. In: Tibori-Szabó, K., Hirst, M. (eds) Victim Participation in International Criminal Justice. International Criminal Justice Series, vol 11. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-177-7_3

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