The International Criminal Court sentenced Thomas Lubanga, a former militia leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to 14 years in prison Tuesday. The sentence, which was the first imposed by the ICC since it was launched in The Hague 10 years ago, established the use of children in war as an international crime.
“The verdict and sentence underscore the gravity of the crimes charged -- the recruitment, enlistment and use of child soldiers -- and the determination of the international community to hold accountable those who commit them,” James Goldston, founding executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, told Trend Lines.
Goldston said the trial -- which took six years to complete from the time the accused was transferred from the DRC to The Hague -- and its conclusion will help court personnel make future proceedings more efficient.