In the dock

The former president of the Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo, has become the first former head of state to appear before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

He faces four charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape, over violence following disputed elections in December 2010.

The UN said about 3,000 people died in clashes between Gbagbo's followers and forces loyal to the new president, Alassane Ouattara.

Gbagbo, 66, appeared in court wearing a somber dark suit, and black tie. He has been held at a detention center in The Hague since he arrived in The Netherlands last Wednesday.

Blaming the French

"Thank you for letting me speak," Gbagbo told the court. He claimed his arrest in April by forces loyal to Ouattara was the direct result of a bombing campaign by France, the country's former colonial ruler.

"It was the French army that did the job," he said, in a brief hearing lasting 25 minutes.

Presiding judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi scheduled a hearing for June 18, when prosecutors will present a summary of their evidence and judges will decide whether it is strong enough to merit a trial.

In the meantime, Gbagbo may apply to be released from detention. His supporters described his transfer to the ICC as a "political kidnapping."

Gbagbo says he was also "deceived" about his transfer to the ICC, saying that the official in charge "died not have the courage to tell me I was going to The Hague.

The court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, stressed last week that both sides of the political divide in Ivory Coast committed crimes in the postelection chaos and that his investigation was continuing.

Author: Joanna Impey (AFP, AP)
Editor: Andreas Illmer