DRC: For the First Time, ICC Awards Symbolic Individual Reparations
| Publisher | International Federation for Human Rights |
| Publication Date | 24 March 2017 |
| Cite as | International Federation for Human Rights, DRC: For the First Time, ICC Awards Symbolic Individual Reparations, 24 March 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58db69274.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
FIDH and its member organisations in the DRC [1] welcome the decision taken today by the ICC to awarding individual reparation measures to victims, at their request, for the first time. This decision by Trial Chamber II was delivered in the case against Germain Katanga, who was found guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Bogoro in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 23 February in 2003. This is the second decision by the ICC concerning reparations, with the first decision only concerning collective reparation measures.
(Kinshasa, The Hague) Today, the ICC has awarded individual and collective reparations measures to victims in the case against Germain KATANGA. The ICC has awarded victims with a symbolic individual compensation measure, unique in the history of the Court, of 250 USD for each victim recognising that "the symbolic amount does not compensate the injuries suffered in their entirety, but is to alleviate the harm suffered by victims".
The total amount of the physical, material, and psychological harm suffered by victims, had been evaluated by the Court and set at a total of 3.752.620 USD.
The ICC also awarded collective reparation measures, as also requested by the legal representative for victims, namely a programme to support housing, income generation, education aid, and psychological support.
The ICC recalled that the reparation order was notwithstanding the obligation of the DRC to award reparations to the victims as well and requested the State's cooperation together with the Trust Fund for Victims in this respect.
Background
Germain Katanga was the presumed commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force (FRPI) in Ituri. On 23 May 2014 he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for contributing to crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed during the attack of the village of Bogoroin Ituri, on 24 February 2003.
[1] the Ligue des Electeurs, le Groupe lotus et ASADHO
