The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has scheduled a hearing to deliver its judgment on the appeal of Dominic Ongwen against the reparations order issued by Trial Chamber IX. The decision will be announced in open court on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 14:30 (The Hague local time).
This announcement follows the reparations order issued by Trial Chamber IX on February 28, 2024, which set Ongwen’s financial liability at €52,429,000. The order also outlined collective community-based reparations focused on rehabilitation and symbolic satisfaction measures. These include collective rehabilitation programs and a symbolic award of €750 for each eligible victim, along with other community-centered reparative measures.
The Appeals Chamber handling this case comprises Presiding Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, along with Judges Tomoko Akane, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Gocha Lordkipanidze, and Erdenebalsuren Damdin.
Background
Dominic Ongwen, a former commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), was convicted on February 4, 2021, of 61 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Northern Uganda between July 1, 2002, and December 31, 2005. On May 6, 2021, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, a ruling later upheld by the Appeals Chamber on December 15, 2022, making his conviction and sentence final.
On December 18, 2023, Ongwen was transferred to Norway to serve his prison sentence.
The reparations process commenced on May 6, 2021, when Trial Chamber IX issued an order inviting submissions on how reparations should be implemented. The reparations order was issued nearly three years later, with collective reparations aiming to address the suffering of victims affected by Ongwen’s crimes.
Next Steps
The upcoming Appeals Chamber judgment on April 7, 2025, will determine whether the reparations order stands as originally issued or if adjustments will be made. Victims and stakeholders in Uganda eagerly await the ruling, which will significantly impact efforts toward post-conflict rehabilitation and justice.
