Mistakes, Misgivings, Mistrial? The Early Termination of Proceedings in the Case Against William Ruto and Joshua Sang

Co-authored with Laura Marschner.

On April 5, 2016, the majority of Judges in Trial Chamber at the International Criminal Court (ICC) decided to vacate the charges against William Samoei Ruto and Joshua Arap Sang at the halfway stage of the trial, after the Prosecution had presented its case in full. Far from a mere legal technicality, the Chamber’s majority decision to dispose of the charges in this particular way will have ongoing implications for victims, for the accused, and potentially for the future prosecution of witness interference.

Penelope Van Tuyl is an American human rights lawyer and the Associate Director of the WSD HANDA Center for Human Rights and International Justice.