
The International Criminal Court may throw out its very first case due to questions of the possibility of a fair trial. The defendant in the trial would be Thomas Lubanga, former warlord of Congo accused of using young boys and girls as child soldiers, messengers, and sex slaves. Apparently, the prosecution has repeatedly withheld pertinent information from the defense, and now risks losing the trial altogether.
You know, I would like to see a conviction in this case as much as anyone. The turmoil in Congo was beyond horrific. But withholding evidence? That's the best way to get the case thrown out. The ICC has to uphold high standards of justice. It's job is to dole international justice to people who have committed some of the worst crimes against humanity. If they were to haphazardly begin to convict people without a fair trial, the ICC could become not only irrelevant, but a very corrupt and dangerous institution.

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