The ex-ruler, Habre, earlier denied the charges and refused to recognize the legitimacy of the court but left everyone in the court surprised when he showed no emotions after hearing the verdict with his face obscured partly by a turban and sunglasses.
According
to Human Rights Watch, the decision makes Habre the first African
former head of state to be convicted on the continent and it's also the
first time that a court of one country has prosecuted the former ruler
of another country over human rights crimes.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed Monday's
verdict. "This ruling is a landmark in the global fight against
impunity for atrocities, including war crimes and crimes against
humanity," Kerry said in a statement released by CNN.
"As a
country committed to the respect for human rights and the pursuit of
justice, this is also an opportunity for the United States to reflect
on, and learn from, our own connection with past events in Chad,"
Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, descibed the ruling as groundbreaking.
"After
years of struggle and many setbacks on the way to justice, this verdict
is as historic as it was hard-won. I sincerely hope that today, at
last, Habre's victims will experience some sense of relief. In a world
scarred by a constant stream of atrocities, the ramifications of this
verdict are global. "
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