On September 10th, the International Criminal Court (ICC) initiated a trial against Vice President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto. Along with the journalist Joshua Arap Sang, Ruto is charged for crimes against humanity. Later this fall the court will also begin the trial against the current President of Kenya, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, who has been charged for severe crimes against humanity.
Right now, the ICC is experiencing its most serious challenge. As the crisis in Syria explicitly illustrates the need for international jurisdiction, the court is also highly questioned, not least in Africa. This topic is discussed in the report Politics and Law in the International Criminal Court by Bengt Nilsson, which summarizes the development of the ICC during its first decade. The critique against the court has been tough and the years ahead will be decisive for the ICC’s international reputation. The ICC must prove that it is needed for global justice and that it stands above any and all political influence.
Bengt Nilsson is a journalist, writer and photographer. He has spent decades travelling and working in several African countries. In 2008 he published the book Swedens’ African Wars (Timbro).