International Criminal Court appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election Violence.

ICC judges uphold acquittal of former Ivory Coast President. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — International Criminal Court appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election Violence. (1 of 12) Supporters of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo celebrate in Abidjan Wednesday March 31, 2021, after the International Criminal Court appeals judges in The Hague upheld the acquittals of Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. (2 of 12) Supporters of Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude, celebrate their acquittal outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. ICC appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals Gbagbo and Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. (3 of 12) Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo watches computer screens at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020. International Criminal Court appeals judges have upheld the acquittals of former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. The appeals panel's decision on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 to reject the prosecutors’ appeal against the acquittal ends proceedings against both men. (Jerry Lampen/Pool photo via AP, File) (4 of 12) Exterior view of the International Criminal Court where former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude attend a hearing in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The couple were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. International Criminal Court judges are ruling Wednesday on the appeal by prosecutors against the acquittal of Ivory Coast's former president and an ex-youth minister on charges of involvement in deadly violence that erupted after 2010 elections. (5 of 12) Former Ivory Coast youth minister Charles Ble Goude, celebrates his acquittal outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. ICC appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals of former president Gbagbo and Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. (6 of 12) Supporters of Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude, celebrate their acquittal outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. ICC appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals Gbagbo and Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. (7 of 12) Supporters of Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude, celebrate their acquittal outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. ICC appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals Gbagbo and Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. (8 of 12) Exterior view of the International Criminal Court where former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude attend a hearing in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The couple were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. International Criminal Court judges are ruling Wednesday on the appeal by prosecutors against the acquittal of Ivory Coast's former president and an ex-youth minister on charges of involvement in deadly violence that erupted after 2010 elections. (9 of 12) Supporters of Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and former youth minister Charles Ble Goude, celebrate their acquittal outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. ICC appeals judges on Wednesday upheld the acquittals Gbagbo and Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. (10 of 12) Supporters of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo celebrate in Abidjan Wednesday March 31, 2021, after the International Criminal Court appeals judges in The Hague upheld the acquittals of Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. (11 of 12) Supporters of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo celebrate in Abidjan Wednesday March 31, 2021, after the International Criminal Court appeals judges in The Hague upheld the acquittals of Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. (12 of 12) Supporters of former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo celebrate in Abidjan Wednesday March 31, 2021, after the International Criminal Court appeals judges in The Hague upheld the acquittals of Gbagbo and former minister Charles Ble Goude on charges of involvement in deadly post-election violence. Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. March 31, 2021 Both were acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for crimes including murder, rape and persecution following disputed elections in 2010, with judges saying prosecutors failed to prove their case. The decision halted the trial before defense lawyers had even presented their evidence. Wednesday’s appeals panel decision by majority to reject the prosecutors’ appeal against the acquittal ends proceedings against both men. Dozens of supporters of Gbagbo hugged and cheered outside the court building after the decision. “Gbagbo is free!” a woman sang in French, while waving an Ivory Coast flag. Leaving the court a free man, Ble Goude said he was happy the case was over. “I’m acquitted person now definitely speaking. I thank all the people of Ivory Coast and Africa for their support,” he said. He would not give a time frame for returning home, saying he first would speak with his family and lawyers. “It depends on the government of my country, but I’ll make the request,” he said. Gbagbo was believed to have left the court without speaking to media. It was not clear what his next step will be or when he might seek to return to Ivory Coast. His wife, Simone Gbagbo, expressed joy about the court's decision. “Now that he is released, he must return home,” she said from Abidjan. “The government must charter a plane to pick him up. I am counting on the government to do so.” Presiding Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji said the panel “rejects the prosecutors' appeal and confirms the decision of the Trial Chamber.” “The appeals chamber hereby revokes all remaining conditions on the release of Mr. Gbagbo and Mr. Ble Goude as a result of this judgment,” he added. The court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said on Twitter that she respected the decision. “We will take the time necessary to review & carefully analyse the judgement & its dissenting & separate opinions in detail so that we fully appreciate its rationale & import for our work,” she wrote. Ble Goude's lawyer, Geert-Jan Knoops, flashed a victory sign as he was welcomed by the supporters outside court. “These two people were really wrongly accused and I think the appeals chamber made it quite clear that the evidence was so exceptionally weak that no reasonable court could come to a conviction,” he said. “I hope authorities in Cote d'Ivoire will accept the judgment and will let (Ble Goude) into the country. He wants to return after seven years.” More than 3,000 people were killed after Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by his rival, current Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara. Amnesty International West Africa Researcher Michèle Eken said the victims “will be disappointed again today.” Eken said the acquittal means that “the court has held no one responsible for atrocity crimes committed during this period.” Issiaka Diaby, president of an association representing victims of the post-election crisis, called Wednesday’s decision “a real shame,” blaming the ICC prosecutor for failing to get justice for the families. He said he would meet with some of them in the coming days. “There were 3,000 deaths and there are no culprits. It is a serious matter that this international institution of justice worked for eight years and was not able to put a name and a face to these victims,” Diaby said. “The victims cannot be victims of the incompetence of the prosecutor’s office,” he added. “I am worried for Ivory Coast. If we remain in impunity, every citizen must consider himself in danger.” Prosecutors appealed the 2019 ruling, saying the decision to acquit was wrong and asking appeals judges to declare a mistrial, but the appeals panel rejected all their arguments. Gbagbo and Ble Goude were released following their acquittals but returned to court for Wednesday's hearing. Gbagbo was the first former president to go on trial at the global court and his case was seen as a milestone in efforts to bring to justice even the highest-ranking leaders accused of atrocities. He refused to concede defeat after losing the 2010 election to Ouattara. Both men held inauguration ceremonies and a months-long standoff ensued until pro-Ouattara forces captured Gbagbo. Ouattara, who has been in power for nearly a decade, was re-elected in November for a controversial third term strongly contested by opposition leaders. He maintains that the two-term limit for presidents does not apply to him because of a constitutional referendum passed in 2016. Gbagbo still has strong support in Ivory Coast and his followers say they have been left out the country’s reconciliation process in the years since his ouster. They supported his run for president last year, but his candidacy was not approved. Associated Press writer Toussaint N'Gotta in Abidjan, Ivory Coast contributed. -------------------  The Mazi article was published on Sa., 9. Apr. 2011 um 13:02,despite its non acceptable when published,fact prevailed &French led manipulation/Coordination of the installment of the ivory Coast Alassane Ouattara Govt,referred to as a failure now. Sa., 9. Apr. 2011 um 13:02 Ivorian Solution: Either to split it into two regions or to adopt Swiss political Rotational Model not unnecessary. The Ivorian Northern bordering Countries where the most immigrants came from, they have cultural,Religious heritage and root affiliation with the Ivorian Immigrants,but this requires the World, Either to split it into two regions or to adopt Swiss political Rotational Model. Since, southern Ivorian is afraid of Immigrant’s population and their strong ties with France, and allowing immigrants who have become Ivorian Citizens, will be to the detriment of the Ivorian natives and due to long inherited conflicts, disputes and crises coupled with cultural/Religious differences. Neither the Ivorian current President Laurent Gbagbo nor Alassane Ouattara Could be able to lead Ivory Coast peacefully and legitimately now. The real Solution is for both candidates to step down from the Ivorian political scene and let President Laurent Gbagbo hand over power to most the Senior Chief of Ivorian Army who can convene then within 6 months to form a Ivorian Transactional Government that could run Ivory Coast for two years and to conduct a new election excluding both Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara. Any other process, whether leaving Laurent Gbagbo to continue Governing the country will lead to various problems with strong bloody confrontations by Ivorian of immigrant descendants, with strong French challenge Gbagbo  to concede power Ouattara, based on unverifiable Votes counted in favor of Alassane Ouattara, will lead Ivory Coast to various bloody confrontations by Ivorian Natives, who will be supported by their ethnic Natives from the neighboring Countries in the southern Ivorian Borders. ---------------------- Mazi Literal Works To: SHINKAIYEJ@africa-union.org,MoussavouP@africa-union.org,MfasoniJ@africa-union.org Date: Jan 9, 2011, 6:03 PM Subject:Sanction/Cut of Diplomatic Ties can’t work in an ethnic/regional fractured Ivory Coast. For AU Bureau of the Chairperson Sanction/Cut of Diplomatic Ties can’t work in an ethnic/regional fractured Ivory Coast. Technically, Sanction or Cut of Bilateral/Diplomatic Ties can’t work in an Ethnic/Regional fractured Ivory Coast or force Regional Self installed current President Laurent Gbagbo to hand over power to another Regional Self acclaimed Winner Alassane Ouattara as the real issue is not election matter but the Political Power contest between President Laurent Gbagbo led Native Ivorian and  Alassane Ouattara led Immigrants or Ivorian with foreign roots whose identifications are assumed not to be Ivorian, but supported by France who used its international Media and networks/connection to back Alassane Ouattara, after France had some collaborative misunderstandings with the Former Ivorian President Félix Houphouët-Boigny on how he did handle the looted wealth of former President of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko, kept in his custody in Vatican Bank, which Félix Houphouët-Boigny utilized in developing his hometown of Yamoussoukro, where he built the world's largest church, named the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro,at a cost of US$300 million, leaving an account balance of only US$5million at time of his death, this, irritated France and created this behind scene political animosity between Ivorian native and French. Since, Cote d’Ivoire like any other African Countries which have been colonized, inherited an imbalanced Political & Economic Structures/National Frameworks with foul or colonial manipulative Constitution with non Operative Governmental infrastructures from past Colonization, are grappling with the reality and  inability to run their States Politically and Economically, as Colonial Boo Boo Traps with Colonial raise self serving bankrupt Elite, with sometime traditional recruited Scouts acting as State Military took Power in pretext of removing Corrupt Civil Regime, only to install their ethnic Agenda and ruined the State, as their Military Rule is run through non institutional principles and ethnic bias. Until a Proper National Ethnic Conference under aegis of UN as to formulate the best co-existing Constitutions and to work out general ethnic agreement on its framework on how vast African minerals and agricultural products with its abundant manpower could be harnessed and distributed for equitable development and Peace. African Election shall be used as point of ethnic challenge, source of pouring out bottled Anger/mistrusted Aggravation or Political Ethnic Contest for State Power Control as any ethnic Group that has Political Power’s advantage, always use it for its ethnic Political Power’s advantage. Since the death of late President of Cote d'Ivoire, Felix Houphouet-Boigny that brought Mr. Alassane Ouattara a technocrat, trained as an economist and having worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) to assist Ivory Coast in financial development and later become the Ivorian Prime Minister but late Felix Houphouet-Boigny was aging with ill health, changed a section of the Ivorian Constitution which allowed Mr. Henri Konan Bédié, then the President of the National Assembly to succeed late Felix Houphouet-Boigny as Ivorian President, but France with Mr. Alassane Ouattara and his political Associates should know that it is technical difficult for Mr. Alassane Ouattara with its French imposed pressure/connection for non Ivorian Native to assume Political Power despite the international Rallies/Support, as what is paramount in Ivory Coast is that long time/short time Immigrants with almost two third Ivorian Population to assume Power, will restructure Ivory Coast to the detriment of Ivorian minority Natives whom the aggrieved  swollen neighboring Countries’ Citizens who felt that we were part and parcels of Ivory Coast development and culture but needed sometime before their full integration. The intellectual confusion over the world is why French is bent on Son of an immigrant taking political power in Ivory Coast as native Ivorian want immigrants to enjoy all rights except the highest Political Office-the President, since the country is native originated and not a settling/emigrating Country. There is academic perception that French was hurt when late Felix Houphouet-Boigny utilized the looted Mobutu Se Seko Zaire stolen Wealth in secretly developing Ivory Coast but what of  King Hassan of Morocco who could not account Mobutu looted wealth, which led his untimely death, with late Mobutu briefly stay in Morocco as to recover his wealth back to France before his death. Ironically, there is sources which factually revealed that the Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo won the Ivorian election on basis of  all countered votes of  Ivorian Votes with verifiable National ID, while Alassane Ouattara won its election on strength of all votes cast by all Voters with unverifiable National ID and that is why most African Countries could not be able to have credible National ID which is pancreas for peaceful credible election and to safeguard  its Citizen from violent crime and to promote development with better welfare for its citizens.  Also, all developed with some better developing nations have credible verifiable national ID cards in place as it augur easy & peaceful Elections and ease better developmental benefits for all its citizens but why it is allowed in Africa and this, have caused Africa a lot destruction and lost, when UN with West can  insist that World/IMF can only recognize or do official business with any African Country that  have credible National Identity Cards in operation, but they are silent on this and this wicked collaboration that ruin Africa and create huge emigration problem for West and other developed Nations. Africans are waiting for the world to assist them in projects that create peace and development. ---------------------------- Soliciting for Maziliteralworks' Donation/any amount or Media laptop/window Computers' Donation, Phone Media Assistance for Mazi Literal Works' Dissemination/Publication.Upon your Response,more info of the US/Canadian Coordinator  will be sent. Visit these published Articles' websites. http://maziliteralworks.wordpress.com http://maziliteralworks.blogspot.com https://medium.com/me/stories/public http://disqus.com/home/channel/mazipatrick/ https://maziliteralworks.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/Maziliteraworks Regards, Mazi Patrick  O., email: akwaba2000@gmail.com Thinker, Writer, Political Strategist, Historian & Psychoanalyst.