ICL Database & Commentary

ICC-01/04-01/06
Case The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo
Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 
 

During the status conference in the case The Prosecutor v. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo held on 24 August 2006, Judge Sylvia Steiner, acting as single judge for Pre-Trial Chamber I, the single judge has issued the following decision on the specific request of the Defence for suspension of time-limits for three pending filings

The Hague, 25 August 2006

 

Considering that the request of the Defence is based on regulation 35 of the Regulations of the Court, the single judge is of the view that regulation 35 applies for "applications to extend or reduce any time limit as prescribed in these Regulations or as ordered by the Chamber…". Hence, the time limit for requesting leave to appeal is not stipulated in the Regulations and was not ordered by the Chamber but is stipulated in rule 155 of the Rules of Procedure and Evidence; and therefore it cannot be modified by the Chamber

In relation to the other two deadlines, the single judge is of the view that the Defence has shown good cause.

For these reasons, the single judge decides to:
REJECT the Defence Request to suspend the time limit in relation to the request for leave to appeal of the “Décision relative aux requêtes de la défense et de l’accusation concernant la prorogation de délai”;
DECIDE to grant the Defence until next Tuesday 5 September 2006 at 4pm to submit:
          (i) The Defence’s observations on the modalities of participation of victims 
          a/0001/06 to a/0003/06;
          (ii) The Defence’s response to the applications of applicants a/0004/06 to 
          a/0009/06, a/0016/06 to a/0046/06 and a/0047/06 to a/0052/06.