INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
Website: www.icj-cij.org
Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2009/21
22 May 2009
Questions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal)
Request for the indication of provisional measures
Court to deliver its Order on Thursday 28 May 2009 at 10 a.m.
THE HAGUE, 22 May 2009. On Thursday 28 May 2009, the International Court of Justice
(ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will give its Order on the request for the
indication of provisional measures submitted by Belgium in the case concerning Questions relating
to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal).
A public sitting will be held at 10 a.m. in e Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in
TheHague, during which the President of the Court, Judge Hisashi Owada, will read the Court’s
Order.
History of the proceedings
On 19 February 2009 Belgium instituted proceed ings against Senegal, on the grounds that a
dispute exists “between the Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of Senegal regarding Senegal’s
compliance with its obligation to prosecute” the former President of Chad, HissèneHabré, “or to
extradite him to Belgium for the purposes of criminal proceedings”. Belgium also submitted a
request for the indication of provisional measures, in order to protect its rights pending the Court’s
Judgment on the merits (see Press Release No. 2009/13).
Two rounds of oral observations on this request were held from Monday6 to Wednesday
8 April 2009 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of the Court.
At the end of Belgium’s second round of oral observations, on 7April2009, the Co-Agent
set out the provisional measures requested by that State as follows:
“Belgium respectfully asks the Court to indicate the following provisional
measures: the Republic of Senegal is requested to take all the steps within its power to
keep Mr.HissèneHabré under the control and surveillance of the Senegalese
authorities so that the rules of international law with which Belgium requests
compliance may be correctly applied.” - 2 -
At the end of Senegal’s second round of or al observations, the Co-Agent presented the
following submission on behalf of his Government:
“Senegal respectfully asks the Court to reject the provisional measures
requested by Belgium on 7 April 2009.”
*
N OTE TO THE PRESS AND PUBLIC
1. The public sitting will be held in the Gr eat Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in
The Hague, Netherlands. Mobile telephones and beepers are permitted in the courtroom provided
they are switched off. Any offending device will be temporarily retained.
2. Media representatives are subject to an accreditation procedure, the details of which
can be found in the Media Advisory attached to this Press Release. The accreditation process
will close at midnight on Tuesday 26 May 2009.
3. Individual visitors (with the exception of members of the Diplomatic Corps) and groups
are subject to an admission procedur e. They are kindly requested to give advance notification of
their attendance by filling out the relevant form on the C ourt’s website (to the right of the screen
under Calendar, click on “Attending a Hearing”, then under “Admission for individuals” or
“Admission for groups”, click on “Online Application Form”). The admission process will close
at midnight on Tuesday 26 May 2009.
4. At the end of the sitting, a Press Release, a summary of the Order and the full text of the
Order will be distributed. All of these documents will be made available at the same time on the
Court’s website.
___________
Information Department:
Mr. Andrey Poskakukhin, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department (+31 (0)70 302 2336)
Messrs. Boris Heim and Maxime Schouppe, Information Officers (+31 (0)70 302 2337)
Ms Joanne Moore, Associate Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2394)
Ms Barbara Dalsbaek, Administrative Assistant (+31 (0)70 302 2396)
- Request for the indication of provisional measures - Court to deliver its Order on Thursday 28 May 2009 at 10 a.m.
Questions relating to the Obligation to Prosecute or Extradite (Belgium v. Senegal) - Request for the indication of provisional measures - Court to deliver its Order on Thursday 28 May 2009 at 10 a.m.