ICC Acquits Ex-Ivorian President Gbagbo of Crimes Against Humanity

The International Criminal Court at the Hague on Wednesday upheld its acquittal of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo of multiple charges of crimes against humanity following the 2010-2011 post-election violence that killed some 3,000 people in the country.

The Court had ruled that Gbagbo bore no direct responsibility for the killings and on Wednesday dismissed the appeal by the prosecution, which had requested a retrial.

Gbagbo has been in Brussels since his ICC conditional release in 2019.

He is expected to return to Cote d’Ivoire, he faces a 20-year jail sentence after his trial and conviction in absentia for alleged fraud.

Gbagbo was taken to the Hague in November 2011 for the ICC trial following the post-election violence and after rejecting results of the 2010 presidential elections.

Current President Alassane Ouattara was declared the victor in that election and has since won two re-elections, including the last in October for a controversial third-term in office.