The Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered the release of Congolese rebel leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo on Thursday, according to a news release published on the UN Website.
The ICC said it made the decision to free Lubanga, who was accused of recruiting child soldiers, among other crimes, as the court is unable to secure a fair trial under current circumstances.
The court had suspended proceedings against Lubanga on June 16 after finding that prosecutors had failed to disclose more than 200 documents to the defence of the rebel leader.
However, since an appeal may be filed within five days, the order granting release will not be enforced until the expiry of the five-day time limit.
Lubanga, the founder and leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots in the Ituri region of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was arrested by the Congolese national authorities after the ICC issued an arrest warrant in February 2006. The rebel leader was later transferred to ICC custody.
Source:Xinhua
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