ICC to present evidence in war crimes case against Ugandan fugitive Joseph Kony

International Criminal Court prosecutors will begin presenting evidence Tuesday to support their charges against fugitive Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony at the global court’s first ever in absentia hearing.

Kony, the founder and leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, faces accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The court's so-called confirmation of charges hearing comes two decades after it issued an arrest warrant for Kony over his alleged leadership of the brutal rebel group which became notorious for atrocities, including kidnapping children and mutilating captives.

The ICC hearing is not a trial, but allows prosecutors to outline their case in court. Kony will be represented in his absence by a defense lawyer.

After weighing the evidence, judges can rule on whether or not to confirm the charges against Kony, but he cannot be tried unless he is in the custody of the ICC.

Test case

Kony is facing 39 counts including murder, sexual enslavement, rape, and enlisting child soldiers allegedly committed in 2003 and 2004 in northern Uganda.

The hearing has been seen as a test case for the court moving forward with other cases where the likelihood of having a suspect detained is considered remote, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.