Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Belgium) - Request for the indication of provisional measures - Court to announce its ruling on Friday 8 December 2000 at 10 a.m.

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF WSTICE

Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel: +31 (0)70 302 23 23. Cables: !ntercourt,
The Hague. Fax: +31 (0)70 364 99 28. Telex: 32323. E-mail address:
mail@icj-cij .org. Internet address: http://www.icj-cij .org.

Press Release
Unofficial

No. 2000/39
5 December 2000

Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000
(Democratie Republic of the Congo v. Belgium)

Reguest for the indication of provisional measures

Court to announce its ruling oFriday 8 December 2000 at 10 a.m.

THE HAGUE, 5 December 2000. On Friday 8 December 2000, the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) will announce its ruling on the request for the indication of provisional measures
submitted by the Democratie Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the case concerning the Arrest
Warrantof 11 April2000 (Democratie Republic ofthe Congo v. Belgium).

A public sittingl1take place at 10 a.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague during which the
Court's Orderwill be read.

The meritsof the dispute concern an international arrest warrant issued on 11 April 2000 by
a Belgian investigatingdge against Mr. Yerodia Abdoulaye Ndombasi- Minister for Foreign
Affairsof the DRC at the time, now Minister of Education seeking his provisional detention
pending a request for extradition to Belgium for "serious violations of international humanitarian

law".

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• Hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures filed by the DRC on
17October 2000 were held from 20 to 23 November 2000.

During those hearings, the Democratie Republic of the Congo inter alia stated the following:

"the Democratie Republic of the Congo requests the Court to orderBelgium to cornply
with international law; to cease and desist from any conduct which might exacerbate

the dispute with the Democratie Republic of the Congo; specifically, to discharge the
international arrest warrant issued against Minister."

Belgium, for its part, made the following submissions:

"The Kingdom of Belgium asks that it may please the Court to refuse the
request for the indicationf provisional measures submitted by the Democratie
Republic of the Congo inthe case conceming the Arrest Warrant of11 April 2000
(!?emocratic Republic of the Congo v. Belgium) and not indicate the provisional
measures which are the subject of the request by the Democratie Republic of the

Congo. -2-

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The Kingdom of Belgium asks that it may please·the Court to :r.emove from its
List the case conceming the Arrest Warrant of 11 April2000 (Denwcratic Republic of
the Congo v. Belgium) brought by the Democratie Republic of ,the•Congo against

Belgium by Application dated 17 October 2000."

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NOTE FOR THEPRESS

1. The public sitting will be helin the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in

·The Hague, Netherlands.Mobile telephones and beepers are allowed in ·thecowtroom provided
they are turned off or set on sUent mode. Any offendd~1i cil be temporarily removed.

2. Memb.ers ofthe Presw.illbe entitled to attenp~esenta otaiprnss card. The tables

reserved for them are situated on the far left of the public entrimce of the courtroom.

3. Photographs may be taken for a few minutes at the',opening and at thef the sitting.
Television crews may film the whole sitting, but advance no*e should be given to the Information

Office (see paragraph 8). !
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4. In the Press Room, located on the ground floor oftlie Peace Palace (Room 5), -thereading
of the Court's decision will be relayed by loudspeakeri

5. At the end of the sitting, a press release and~ehexf he Order will be distributed in
the Press Room. 1

6. The above-mentioned documents will be simultaneously available on the Court's website
(bttp://www .icj-cij.org).

7. Members of the Press who wish to make telephone caUs may use the phone located in the

Press Room for collect•calls or the public telephoneth1nPost Office in thbasement of the
Peace Palace. :
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8. Mr. Arthur Witteveen, First Secretary of the cburt (tel:+ 31 70 302 2336), and

Mrs. Laurence Blairon, Information Officer +t31 70 302'2337),are available to deal with any
requests for infonnation or arrangements for televisio1 coverage.

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