Certain Criminal Proceedings in France (Republic of the Congo v. France) - Conclusion of the hearings on the request for the indication of a provisional measure

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF WSTICE

Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel: +31 (0)70 302 23 23. Cables: Intercourt,
The Hague. Fax: +31 (0)70 364 99 28. Telex: 32323. E-mail address:

[email protected]. Internet address: http://www.icj-cij.org.

Press Release

Unofficial

No. 2003/16

29 April 2003

Certain Criminal Proceedings in France
(Republic of the Congo v. France)

Conclusion of the hearings on the request for the indication of a provisional measure

THE HAGUE, 29 April 2003. The public hearings on the request for the indication of a
provisional measure submitted by the Republicf the Congo in the case conceming Certain Criminal
Proceedings in France (Republicofthe Congo v. France) were concluded today.

At the hearings, which opened on Monday 28 April2003, the Republic of the Congo, as the
applicant State, spoke frrst. was followed by France. A second round of oral argument was held
today. At the end of the hearings the Republic of the Congo confirmed its request for the

indicationof a provisional measure, white France asked the Court to reject that request and not to
indicate any such measure.

The Court's decision will be delivered in the coming weeks. It will be read at a public sitting
on a date which will be announced in a forthcoming press release.

The Republic of the Congo submitted its request for the indication of a provisional measure
on 9 December 2002 when it filed in the Registry of the Court an Application instituting proceedings
against France seeking the annulment of the investigation and prosecution measures taken by the
French judicial authorities further to a complaint for crimes against humanity and torture filed by

various associations against the President of the Republic of the Congo,
Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, the Congolese Minister of the Interior, Mr. Pierre Oba, and other
individuals including General Norbert Dabira, Inspector-Generalf the Congolese Armed Forces.

In its request, the Republicf the Congo asked the Court to indicate a provisional measure

"seek[ing] an arder for the immediate suspension of the proceedings being conducted by the
investigatingjudgeof the Meaux tribunal de grande instance".

The verbatim records of the hearings are available on the Court's website (address:

http://www.icj-cij.org).

Information Department:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, First Secretaryf the Court (tel:+ 31 70 302 23 36)

Mrs. Laurence Blairon and Mr. Boris Heim, Information Officers(tel:+ 31 70 302 23 37)
E-mail address: [email protected]