Source: http://www.kirschinstitute.ca/case-comment-review-appeals-reparations-order-prosecutor-v-germain-katanga/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 23:13:14+00:00

Document:
On March 8, 2018, the ICC Appeals Chamber largely confirmed the reparations decision of the Trial Chamber in Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga. Katanga was convicted in March 2014 of being an accessory to war crimes and crimes against humanity relating to conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite its overall support, the Appeals Chamber did make some pointed obiter comments of the trial level’s approach to determining reparations. Protracted and complex individual assessments had been conducted, but in the end not relied upon, as each victim had been awarded a set US$250. In this regard, the Appeals Chamber emphasized that proceedings intended to compensate victims need to be as expeditious and cost effective as possible.
On March 8, 2018, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court rendered a judgement1The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga: No. ICC-01/04-01/07-377, 8 March 2018 (Appeal Chamber) https://www.legal-tools.org/uploads/tx_ltpdb/CR2018_01651.pdf largely confirming the reparations decision of the Trial Chamber in Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga.2The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga: No. ICC-01/04-01/07, 24 March 2017 (Trial Chamber II) Online www.icc-cpi.int/CourtRecords/CR2017_05121.PDF. For a comprehensive review of the Trial Chamber decision on reparations, see Pearl Eliadis, “Reparations for Death and Destruction in the Congo” (2017) ...continue The reparations order stems from Katanga’s conviction in March 2014 of being an accessory to war crimes and crimes against humanity including murder, attack on a civilian population, and destruction of property and pillaging in connection with the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Trial Chamber ordered Katanga to pay reparations of US$1,000,000 to 297 victims as a symbolic compensation award, with each victim entitled to receive US$250, and collective awards for housing allowance, education assistance, income generating activities and psychological rehabilitation.3As Katanga is indigent, the Trust Fund for Victims was seized of the matter and its Board decided to provide $1 million for the reparations awarded to victims in the Katanga case.
Appeals against the order for reparations were filed by Katanga, the Legal Representative of the Victims (LRV) and the Office of Public Counsel for Victims.
Katanga appealed on four different grounds, each of which is examined below.
(ii) Did the Trial Chamber properly presume that all family members of a direct victim of the village attack were entitled to reparations for psychological harm for the loss of a family member.
(iii) Did the Trial Chamber err in ruling ultra petita12“beyond that which is sought” by allocating compensation exceeding the claims of the applicants.
The Appeals Chamber may have been motivated to issue this statement because convicted persons are often indigent and therefore, payment of reparations is sought from the Trust Fund for Victims. Sadly, the number of victims and their needs are infinite, yet the funds not so. Hence, some prudence may be required in the allocation of reparations awards.
(iv) Did the Trial Chamber err in issuing a reparations order that was not proportionate to, and exceeded, Katanga’s part in the crimes.
Please cite this article as: Irit Weiser, “Review of the Appeals against the Reparations Order in Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga” (2018) 2 PKI Global Just J 12.
Irit Weiser has spent most of her career with the federal Department of Justice. She was Senior General Counsel and Head of Legal Services for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. She provided legal, policy and strategic advice to senior levels of government in regard to various health-related matters, including the Canada Health Act, food and drug regulation, quarantine, and tobacco. Prior to heading up Health Legal Services, Irit was General Counsel and Director of the Human Rights Law Section of the Department of Justice. She provided legal and policy advice, and litigation support on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act and international human rights law. Before joining the Department of Justice, Irit worked for the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in New York. She has also taught International Human Rights at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa. Finally, she has written articles and presented papers on international human rights matters, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and health law. Since retiring, Irit has become involved in a number of pro bono activities, including providing legal assistance to private sponsors through the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program. She is also a member of the Research Ethics Board of the Ottawa Health Science Network, the Strategic Governance Committee of the Royal Ottawa Hospital, and the Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Image: MONUSCO peacekeepers conduct cordon-and-search operations in camps in the area of Aveba that sheltered the positions of the Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri elements, in order to facilitate the prompt return of displaced populations.
2. ↑ The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga: No. ICC-01/04-01/07, 24 March 2017 (Trial Chamber II) Online www.icc-cpi.int/CourtRecords/CR2017_05121.PDF. For a comprehensive review of the Trial Chamber decision on reparations, see Pearl Eliadis, “Reparations for Death and Destruction in the Congo” (2017) 1 PKI Global Just J 14.
3. ↑ As Katanga is indigent, the Trust Fund for Victims was seized of the matter and its Board decided to provide $1 million for the reparations awarded to victims in the Katanga case.
14. ↑ Para. 146. The Appeal Chamber noted in particular article 75(1) of the Statute, which grants the trial chambers, in exceptional circumstances, the possibility to determine the scope and extent of any damage for the purposes of reparations proprio motu (i.e., on its own initiative).

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