On March 11, the International Criminal Court (ICC) dropped charges against Kenya’s Francis Muthaura who, along with Kenyan President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta, was accused of crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the violence following Kenya’s 2007 presidential elections. In an email interview, William Schabas, a professor of international law at Middlesex University, explained the problems the ICC has faced in prosecuting cases.
WPR: What has been the conviction record at the ICC to date?
William Schabas: The ICC has registered precisely one conviction to date; the case is still on appeal, although the conviction is unlikely to be reversed. The court began its work in 2003, and the first arrest warrants were issued in 2005. The first suspect was taken into custody in early 2006. He was convicted and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment in mid-2012.