THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International Criminal Court judges have rejected a request from former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo to be briefly released from pretrial custody to attend his mother’s funeral.
In a written ruling Wednesday, judges said they cannot agree to the request “when doing so runs such a risk of endangering the population in Cote d’Ivoire, Court staff and Mr. Gbagbo himself.” The ruling did not elaborate on the potential risks.
Gbagbo faces charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and other inhumane acts for allegedly orchestrating post-election violence in Ivory Coast in 2010.
Prosecutors say some 3,000 people died in violence between supporters of Gbagbo and President Alassane Ouattara in five months after the 2010 Ivory Coast election, when Gbagbo refused to accept defeat.
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