ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s three-day visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo marks an intensification of international justice efforts in the face of ongoing violence in the eastern part of the country.
The agenda includes reactivating investigations into recent crimes and discussing the creation of a special criminal court for historical crimes.
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, concluded his official visit to Kinshasa on Wednesday 26 February, marking a turning point in relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the ICC.
The visit, which began on 24 February, strengthened judicial cooperation between the two parties in the fight against impunity for serious crimes, particularly those committed in the eastern part of
the country.
During his stay, Karim Khan met with President Felix Tshisekedi and other Congolese authorities to discuss ongoing investigations, particularly those into human rights violations in North Kivu, a
region that has been plagued by persistent violence for several years.
The issue of establishing a special criminal court to try war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the DRC was raised, particularly with regard to the events covered by the United Nations Mapping Report between 1993 and 2003.
The Prosecutor reaffirmed his support for the DRC by announcing the reactivation of investigations into crimes committed since January 2022, following a request by the Congolese authorities in May 2023.
This decision responds to growing concerns about violence perpetrated by armed groups, particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu.
The proposal for a special court to try crimes committed before 2002, raised at the 9th ICC Focal Points Seminar in September 2024, was also at the heart of the discussions.
The importance of this mechanism was highlighted to address crimes committed before the establishment of the ICC.
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