ICC starts trial of ex-president Ivory Coast

- The International Criminal Court in The Hague begins Thursday in the trial of former President of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo. The former head of state, which in November 2011 was transferred to the ICC, is on trial for crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and persecution during the civil war that began in 2010.

The violence began when Gbagbo refused to abide by its election defeat in 2010. The civil war was in the period until April 2011 at least 3,000 people have lost their lives. Besides Gbagbo is also his 44-year-old co-defendant Charles Blé Goudé justified. The former minister and former youth leader was also accused of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape.

Both Gbagbo and Blé Goudé denies the allegations. Gbagbo's supporters say he is the victim of a conspiracy between France and the current president of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, who won the elections and took office after a military intervention by the former colonial power. Which also put an end to the four-month civil war.

Ouattara, who was re-elected last year, is accused by his opponents to use the ICC to the opposition to silence. Gbagbo and Blé Goudé, also known as the general of the street, turned over to 'The Hague' after the ICC issued arrest warrants had been issued against them.

The ICC also wanted to try Gbagbo's wife, but who has been sentenced by a court in Ivory Coast to twenty years in prison.