The International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to begin the long-awaited confirmation of charges hearing against Joseph Kony, the fugitive leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), who allegedly terrorised northern Uganda for nearly two decades.
The hearing will commence on September 9, 2025, and proceed in Kony’s absence, as confirmed by Dahirou Sant-Anna, an international adviser in the Office of the ICC Prosecutor. The proceedings are expected to last several days.
On June 3, 2025, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber upheld a landmark ruling allowing the confirmation of charges to proceed in absentia. This decision sets a significant precedent in international criminal law for cases involving long-time fugitives. The chamber clarified that Article 61(2)(b) of the Rome Statute permits such proceedings when a suspect “cannot be found” despite all reasonable efforts to secure their appearance—even without a prior appearance before the court.
Kony faces 33 charges, including 12 counts of crimes against humanity and 21 counts of war crimes, for atrocities committed during his command of the LRA. His forces are accused of systematically abducting thousands of civilians—particularly children—and subjecting women and girls to sexual slavery, forced marriage, and involuntary pregnancies. These acts constitute serious violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols of 1977.
The ICC issued its first arrest warrant for Kony in 2005, and in 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II authorized confirmation proceedings in absentia. Despite persistent efforts by U.S. special forces, U.N. troops, and an African Union task force, Kony has eluded capture for 19 years.
To ensure due process, Pre-Trial Chamber II has appointed legal counsel to represent Kony during the proceedings.
