UN rejects bid to stop ICC trial of Kenyatta, Ruto
October 15, 2013 (NEW YORK) – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday voted against suspension of the trial of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
In October, African leaders resolved during a summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis- Ababa to put a proposal before the UN Security Council calling for the suspension of the trial of the Kenyan leaders for at least a year.
The leaders also resolved that Kenya should write to the Council asking for a deferral of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trial at the ICC.
On Friday the 15 member Council supported the resolution by seven votes, two less than the nine votes needed to pass a resolution before it.
Eight of the 15 members, mostly western countries, including the United States, France and Britain abstained from the vote.
Kenyatta and Ruto face charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC in relations to their role in the 2007-2008 post election violence in Kenya in which 1,200 were killed and 600,000 displaced.
The African Union resolution was tabled by Rwanda with support from seven members of the Council including Russia and China.
Kenyatta’s trial at the ICC is scheduled to begin on 5 February 2014. Ruto’s began in September.
If Kenyatta’s trial goes ahead as planned, he will be the first sitting head of state to face trial at the ICC.
(ST)