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| president1 = [[Félix Tshisekedi]]
| primeminister1 = [[Sama Lukonde]]
| birth_name = Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|11|04|df=y}}
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'''Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo''' (born 4 November 1962)<ref name=warrant>{{cite web|publisher=International Criminal Court|date=23 May 2008|url=http://www.legal-tools.org/en/doc/fb0728/|title=Situation In The Central African Republic In The Case Of The Prosecutor V. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo — Under Seal Urgent Warrant Of Arrest For Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo|access-date=3 June 2017|id=ICC-01/05-01/08-1-tENG-Corr}}</ref> is a politician in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (DRC). After he served as Deputy Prime Minister of Defense 2023 to 2024, he was moved to the Deputy Prime Minister of Transportation.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/jeanpierre-bemba-icc-congo-tshisekedi-b1b555691b413cad0b400c598fa4f89a | title=Former rebel leader is named Congo’s new Defense Minister | date=24 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-president-tshisekedi-brings-former-vp-bemba-reshuffle-ahead-election-2023-03-24/|title=Former rebel leader is named Congo’s new Defense Ministern|date=23 March 2023|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Congo: PM Tuluka announces long-awaited new government – DW – 05/29/2024 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/congo-pm-tuluka-announces-long-awaited-new-government/a-68724494 |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref> He was previously one of four [[Vice-Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|vice-presidents]] in the [[transitional government
In 2008, during a trip to Europe, Bemba was arrested on [[International Criminal Court]] charges of crimes against humanity and [[War crime|war crimes]].<ref>[https://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/370.html Press release]International Criminal Court {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108190351/http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/370.html |date=8 January 2009 }}</ref> He spent the following 10 years in prison at [[The Hague|The Hague, The Netherlands]]; 8 years awaiting trial and verdict, then 2 more years after conviction in 2016.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/jun/21/jean-pierre-bemba-sentenced-to-18-years-in-prison-by-international-criminal-court | title=Jean-Pierre Bemba sentenced to 18 years in prison by international criminal court | newspaper=The Guardian | date=21 June 2016 | last1=Burke | first1=Jason }}</ref> In 2018, the verdicts were overturned on appeal.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jun/08/former-congo-leader-jean-pierre-bemba-wins-war-crimes-appeal-international-criminal-court | title=Jean-Pierre Bemba's war crimes conviction overturned | newspaper=The Guardian | date=8 June 2018 | last1=Bowcott | first1=Owen }}</ref> The court ruled that because the Rome Statute which sets the court's rules does not limit the amount of time a person can spend in prison awaiting trial, Bemba was not entitled to compensation. It called on member states to urgently review the relevant provisions in the statute.<ref name="auto">{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-warcrimes-congo-bemba-idUKKBN22U2L4 | title=International Criminal Court rejects Ex-Congolese VP's damages claim | newspaper=Reuters | date=18 May 2020 }}</ref> No such review [[Amendments_to_the_Rome_Statute_of_the_International_Criminal_Court|has yet taken place]]. In 2018, Bemba returned to the DRC where he has since been active in national politics.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theafricareport.com/59406/drc-sacred-union-members-tshisekedi-bemba-katumbi-fail-to-reach-an-agreement/ | title=DRC: Sacred Union members Tshisekedi, Bemba, Katumbi fail to reach an agreement | date=15 January 2021 }}</ref>
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==MLC rebel years==
The MLC movement started in the [[Orientale Province]] of the DRC in 1998 at the beginning of the [[Second Congo War]]. Said Bemba of its founding: "I had identified the possibility of launching an armed movement. So I went looking for serious partners. There were two countries in the region that were interested but I chose to present my dossier to the [[Uganda]]ns. They liked it and so I went in."<ref>Emizet F. Kisangani, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20753410 "CONFLICT IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: A MOSAIC OF INSURGENT GROUPS"], International Journal on World Peace, September 2003.</ref>
==Involvement in the Central African Republic==
In 2002, President [[Ange-Félix Patassé]] of the [[Central African Republic]] invited the MLC to come to his country and put down a [[2002 Central African Republic coup attempt|coup attempt]]. Human rights activists accused MLC fighters of committing atrocities against civilians in the course of this conflict.
==Interim
In 2003, Bemba became one of four vice-presidents during the interim government that lasted from 2003-2006.<ref>Amnesty International, [https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/06/car-acquittal-of-bemba-a-blow-to-victims/ "CAR: Acquittal of Bemba a blow to victims"], Amnesty International, June 2018.</ref>
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On 21 March 2016, he was convicted on two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes.<ref name=conviction>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/21/icc-finds-ex-congolese-vice-president-jean-pierre-bemba-guilty-of-war-crimes|title=Congo politician guilty in first ICC trial to focus on rape as a war crime|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 March 2016|access-date=22 March 2016}}</ref> This marked the first time the [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC) convicted someone of sexual violence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/international-court-adds-rape-to-war-crimes-list-in-congo-conviction/2016/03/21/2e7f4320-ef72-11e5-85a6-2132cf446d0a_story.html|title=In historic ruling, international court cites rape in war crimes conviction of ex-Congo official|author=Kevin Sieff|date=21 March 2016|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> The trial evaluated a theory of criminal responsibility related to whether a remote commander who failed to prevent or punish crimes was liable for crimes against humanity and war crimes.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=The Trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba |date=2022 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/congo-trials-in-the-international-criminal-court/trial-of-jeanpierre-bemba/A35EE06F117382D8C16A8A99C10A277C |work=The Congo Trials in the International Criminal Court |pages=375–447 |editor-last=Gaskins |editor-first=Richard |edition=2 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/9781009208772.010 |isbn=978-1-009-20877-2}}</ref>
On 21 June 2016, the ICC sentenced Bemba to 18 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by his Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2016/06/21/Former-Congo-vice-president-Jean-Pierre-Bemba-sentenced-to-18-years-for-war-crimes |title=Former Congo vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba sentenced to 18 years for war crimes |work=[[The Times (South Africa)|The Times]] |date=21 June 2016 |access-date=21 June 2016}}</ref> In March 2017 he was sentenced to an extra year in prison and fined 300,000 euros ($324,000) by the ICC for interfering with witnesses in his trial.<ref>{{cite web|url=
===Appeal===
On 28 September 2016, Bemba served the ICC appeals chamber with an appeal against his 18-year conviction citing numerous procedural and legal errors in the judgment, and alleging a mistrial.<ref name="ijmonitor.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.ijmonitor.org/2016/10/bemba-lays-out-grounds-for-appeal-against-icc-conviction/|title=Bemba Lays Out Grounds for Appeal Against ICC Conviction|website=www.ijmonitor.org|access-date=8 June 2018|date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="icc-cpi.int">{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/record.aspx?docNo=ICC-01/05-01/08-3434-Red|title=Public Redacted Version of Appellant's document in support of the appeal|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> The appeal centered on whether Bemba had a fair trial, with concerns about the need for greater specificity in criminal charges.<ref name=":0" /> The conviction was overturned on 8 June, 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jun/08/former-congo-leader-jean-pierre-bemba-wins-war-crimes-appeal-international-criminal-court|title=Jean-Pierre Bemba's war crimes conviction overturned|last=Bowcott|first=Owen|date=2018-06-08|website=the Guardian|access-date=2018-06-11}}</ref> by Judge [[Christine Van den Wyngaert]]. She said he cannot be held responsible for the actions of his men, and that the lower court "ignored significant testimonial evidence that Bemba's ability to investigate and punish crimes in the CAR was limited".<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44418154 |title=Jean-Pierre Bemba: Congo warlord's conviction overturned |date=8 June 2018}}</ref>
The court ruled that because the Rome Statute which sets the court's rules does not limit the amount of time a person can spend in prison awaiting trial, Bemba was not entitled to compensation. It called on member states to review urgently the relevant provisions in the statute<ref name="auto"/> No such review [[Amendments_to_the_Rome_Statute_of_the_International_Criminal_Court|has yet taken place]].
▲On 28 September 2016, Bemba served the ICC appeals chamber with an appeal against his 18-year conviction citing numerous procedural and legal errors in the judgment, and alleging a mistrial.<ref name="ijmonitor.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.ijmonitor.org/2016/10/bemba-lays-out-grounds-for-appeal-against-icc-conviction/|title=Bemba Lays Out Grounds for Appeal Against ICC Conviction|website=www.ijmonitor.org|access-date=8 June 2018|date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref name="icc-cpi.int">{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/record.aspx?docNo=ICC-01/05-01/08-3434-Red|title=Public Redacted Version of Appellant's document in support of the appeal|access-date=8 June 2018}}</ref> The appeal centered on whether Bemba had a fair trial, with concerns about the need for greater specificity in criminal charges.<ref name=":0" /> The conviction was overturned on 8 June, 2018<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/jun/08/former-congo-leader-jean-pierre-bemba-wins-war-crimes-appeal-international-criminal-court|title=Jean-Pierre Bemba's war crimes conviction overturned|last=Bowcott|first=Owen|date=2018-06-08|website=the Guardian|access-date=2018-06-11}}</ref> by Judge [[Christine Van den Wyngaert]]. She said he cannot be held responsible for the actions of his men, and that the lower court "ignored significant testimonial evidence that Bemba's ability to investigate and punish crimes in the CAR was limited".<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44418154 |title=Jean-Pierre Bemba: Congo warlord's conviction overturned |date=8 June 2018}}</ref> The court ruled that because the Rome Statute which sets the court's rules does not limit the amount of time a person can spend in prison awaiting trial, Bemba was not entitled to compensation. It called on member states to review urgently the relevant provisions in the statute<ref name="auto"/> No such review [[Amendments_to_the_Rome_Statute_of_the_International_Criminal_Court|has yet taken place]].
On 4 May 2017 Bemba had also filed an appeal against his conviction for interfering with witnesses, alleging factual and legal errors on the part of the trial chamber and illegal investigative activity by the ICC Office of the Prosecutor.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-29|title=Judges Decline to Reduce Bemba's Sentence for Witness Tampering|url=https://www.ijmonitor.org/2019/11/judges-decline-to-reduce-bembas-sentence-for-witness-tampering/|access-date=2021-01-01|website=International Justice Monitor|language=en-US}}</ref>
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[[Category:People acquitted by the International Criminal Court]]
[[Category:21st-century Democratic Republic of the Congo people]]
[[Category:
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