20 WITNESSES CONFIRM WITHDRAWAL FROM RUTO/SANG CASE

The Chamber had received information that 93 victims allegedly signed a letter, dated 5 June 2013, in which they indicated their wish to withdraw from ICC proceedings.

The Chamber found that of these 93 individuals, 47 are within the scope of the Ruto and Sang case. Of these 47 victims who allegedly signed the letter, 7 are now saying they still want to participate as a victims in the case, and 20 have confirmed their withdrawal
Regarding the 20 individuals who confirmed their wish to withdraw, their decision to withdraw could have been motivated by a range of factors, including security concerns. Therefore, their withdrawal shall only have a bearing on their procedural status. This means  that they will be removed from the database, but that they may be included again if they wish to participate in the future.
The Chamber indicated that victims may register, withdraw or re-register their participation in these proceedings as they freely decide. However, unless a victim individually and freely communicates his/her wish to withdraw from the proceedings, he/she should continue to be registered as a participating victim
Background
A victim is a person who has suffered harm as a result of the commission of a crime within the ICC’s jurisdiction. The Rome Statute ensures that a number of rights are accorded to victims, the most ground-breaking of which is the right to participate in proceedings independently of the Prosecution or Defence. Victims have the right to have their own legal representative in the Courtroom presenting their concerns and personal interests to the Court.