The most recent appeal in the case will determine whether there will be a stay of proceedings and whether Lubanga will be released unconditionally. International justice observers and survivors await this important decision in international law.
17 July 1998: The International Criminal Court (ICC) is established following the adoption of the Rome Statute by 120 states.
1 July 2002: The Rome Statute enters into force.
19 March 2005: Thomas Lubanga Dyilo is arrested by Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) authorities and imprisoned in the capital, Kinshasa.
10 February 2006: A sealed warrant for Lubanga’s arrest is issued by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I.
9-28 November 2006: Confirmation of charges hearing is held in the Lubanga case.
17 March 2006: Lubanga’s arrest warrant is unsealed by the ICC and he is arrested and transferred to the ICC in The Hague on charges involving child soldiers.
20 March 2006: Lubanga appears before the Court for the first time.
29 January 2007: ICC judges decide there is sufficient evidence to go to trial.
13 June 2008: The ICC Trial Chamber decides that Lubanga’s right to a fair trial was violated by the prosecutor’s failure to disclose evidence and orders a stay of proceedings.
2 July 2008: Trial Chamber I issues an order for Lubanga’s unconditional release.
11 July 2008: The prosecution asks Trial Chamber I to resume the trial proceedings and reverse the order to release Lubanga.
3 September 2008: Trial Chamber I decides to uphold the stay of proceedings in the case.
21 October 2008: The Appeals Chamber upholds the decision to stay the proceedings, but does not order the release of Lubanga.
18 November 2008: The ICC prosecution agrees to make confidential information available to the Court. As a result, the Trial Chamber reverses its decision and allows the trial to proceed.
26 January 2009: Lubanga’s ICC trial begins in The Hague. This is the first case to come before the ICC.
14 July 2009: The ICC prosecution concludes its case against Lubanga.
8 July 2010: The ICC Trial Chamber orders a stay of proceedings in the case on the grounds that there was an abuse of court procedure.
15 July 2010: ICC trial judges order Lubanga’s unconditional release.
16 July 2010: ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo files an appeal stating that Lubanga might flee if he is released.
23 July 2010: ICC appeal judges rule that Lubanga should remain in detention in The Hague pending the final decision of the appeal filed against the order for his release.
6 August 2010: The prosecution requests that survivors’ lawyers be permitted to participate in the appeal proceedings, including oral hearings.
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