Narcisse Arido, represented by counsel Göran Sluiter, was released from ICC custody on 22 October 2014, together with three co-suspects . Mr. Arido was detained on remand since 23 November 2013 on the suspicion of having committed offences against the administration of justice. It is alleged by the Prosecutor of the ICC that Mr. Arido has, with his co-suspects, corruptly influenced witnesses in the case against Congolese politician Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Counsel Sluiter is pleased that Mr. Arido is now provisionally released and has returned to France, but also critical about the entire process: ‚"We have been asking for provisional release for quite some time. It remains arbitrary and unjust that Mr. Arido, who is not suspected of having committed war crimes or crimes against humanity, has been arrested and detained to start with, whereas for example the President of Kenya, mr. Kenyatta, who is accused of crimes against humanity, can await the outcome of his criminal trial in full freedom. The Pre-Trial Chamber could already at a much earlier stage have ruled that the detention’s duration has become unreasonable in light of the nature of the accusation."
Half November the Pre-Trial Chamber will decide whether there is sufficient evidence against Mr. Arido and the three co-suspects to commit the case to trial.
Read the ICC press release here.