International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for ex Ivorian Leader’s wife

The International Criminal Court ICC in The Hague has issued an arrest warrant for Simone Gbagbo, the wife of ex Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo. She will be on record for being the first female to have been arrested by the International Criminal Court. The pre-Trial Chamber (I) of the International Criminal Court decided to unseal the warrant of arrest issued against Simone Gbagbo for four charges of crimes against humanity. The court stated that Mrs. Gbagbo is responsible within the meaning of article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute for the crimes against humanity of murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, other inhumane acts and persecution allegedly committed in the territory of Ivory Coastd during the period between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011. This was the period in the Ivorian elections which saw the defeat of the then incumbent Laurent Gbagbo but refused to accept defeat which many analysts believed is due to the influence of his wife. An estimated number of 3,000 people died during the five months period Mr. Gbagbo refused to accept defeat to Mr. Ouattara in the post election violence which was widely divided between the north and the south of the country. Mr. Gbagbo is already waiting for trial at The Hague since transferred from Ivory Coast last year to face prosecution on similar charges. In the arrest document copied to the Ivorian Government, The ICC stated that it had decided to make public the warrant of arrest for Mrs. Gbagbo on four charges of crimes against humanity, which was initially issued in February. ``She was responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, other inhumane acts and persecution" allegedly committed in Ivory Coast between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011, the statement said. "Ms Gbagbo was ideologically and professionally very close to her husband, Mr. Gbagbo. She participated in all the meetings during the relevant period. Although unelected, she behaved as the alter ego of her husband, exercising power and taking state decisions," the statement added. The warrant further accused her of participating in the planning and orchestration of the violence, in which members of ethnic and religious groups seen as likely to support Mr. Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, were targeted.