Releasing Bemba Conditionally: Did the International Criminal Court Judge Err?

The recent decision by a judge of the International Court (ICC) to release Jean-Pierre Bemba conditionally until the conclusion of the case against him has raised some controversy. Bemba, former vice President of the DRC is facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Central African Republic. He has been in detention for a just over a year awaiting the commencement of his trial. In a short piece published by the Institute for Security Studies, I address some of the issues in that debate, which implicates various interests: law enforcement imperatives; victims' rights; defendants rights; and the judicial function. Read on