Five facts about the ICC Blé Goudé case

1. Blé Goudé is the alleged leader of the Young Patriots, the youth wing of the political movement of the former president of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo.

1. Blé Goudé was arrested in Ghana and extradited to The Hague in 2013, following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the ICC.

1. As a youth leader and a member of the president’s inner circle, Blé Goudé is alleged to have made an essential contribution to an alleged plan to commit crimes against humanity in the aftermath of the contested 2010 presidential election. He is specifically charged as an indirect co-perpetrator with four counts of crimes against humanity—including murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, persecution and other inhuman acts—allegedly committed in Côte d’Ivoire between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011.

1. A total of 469 victims will participate in the proceedings. They will be represented by a common legal representative, Paolina Massidda of the ICC’s Office of Public Counsel for Victims.

1. Around 3,000 people were killed in violence following Côte d’Ivoire’s disputed presidential election in 2010, which saw conflict between forces loyal to then-president Laurent Gbagbo and the winner of the election, Alassane Ouattara. In addition to Blé Goudé, arrest warrants have also been issued for Laurent Gbagbo and his wife, Simone. Laurent Gbagbo is in custody in The Hague and awaiting trial, while Simone Gbagbo is currently in detention in Côte d’Ivoire.

Learn more about the ICC investigation in Côte d’Ivoire on our website