On 30 January 2015, the Presidency of the International Criminal Court (ICC) constituted Trial Chamber VII, which will be in charge of the Central African Republic’s case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Aimé Kilolo Musamba, Jean-Jacques Mangenda Kabongo, Fidèle Babala Wandu and Narcisse Arido. Trial Chamber VII is composed of Judge Olga Herrera Carbuccia (Dominican Republic), Judge Robert Fremr (Czech Republic) and Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji  (Nigeria). On 11 November 2014, Pre-Trial Chamber II partially confirmed the charges of offences against the administration of justice for Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Aimé Kilolo Musamba, Jean-Jacques Mangenda Kabongo, Fidèle Babala Wandu and Narcisse Arido and committed the five suspects to trial. The Chamber found there were substantial grounds to believe that the suspects committed offences against the administration of justice in connection with witnesses’ testimonies in the case of The Prosecutor v. Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. The offences, all allegedly committed between the end of 2011 and 14 November 2013 in various locations, would include corruptly influencing witnesses by giving them money and instructions to provide false testimony, presenting false evidence and giving false testimony in the courtroom, all perpetrated in various ways including by committing, soliciting, inducing, aiding, abetting or otherwise assisting in their commission.

By Mete Erdurcan. On the evening of Thursday January 29th an armed assailant entered the building of the Netherlands Public Broadcasting and threatened the staff with a gun. The assailant was dressed in formal wear, and demanded a few minutes of live broadcast on the 8 o’clock evening news. It was unclear what the goal of the assailant was, and on behalf of which group he operated. He stated that he represented a hacker group, also stating that there were explosives. The letter that the assailant brought contained the statement that he worked together with five plus ninety-eight hackers and that in case the NPO would not give their full cooperation, they would ignite 8 heavy bombs containing nuclear material. The demands were as follow:

• the building will not be entered by the police
• the broadcast will not be interrupted or slowed down
• the broadcast will not be subtitled

‘In case the demands will be met, every hostage shall be released’, the letter stated. The assailant managed to get into a broadcasting studio and was filmed while talking to the director, while holding a gun. When the police entered the studio, he swiftly let go of his gun and gave the police the opportunity to arrest him. In fear of possible explosives the building was cleared and searched. http://nos.nl/video/2016196-beelden-gijzeling-nos-studio.html

  In accordance with Article 117 of the Constitution, Article 2 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On regular elections to the representative bodies of state authority and of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” and Article 8 of the Law “On the Election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” the decision was made which determine the date of presidential elections of the Republic of Uzbekistan it is March 29, 2015. In this regard, the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan announced the election campaign for the elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan from December 26, 2014. Central Election Commission also approved a Program of main measures on the preparation and conduct of elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. According to this program, all activities related to the preparation and conduct of elections is carrying out by the Central Election Commission, election commissions in open and transparent manner, with strict accordance to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the electoral legislation. The Central Election Commission also adopted a resolution on the formation of the Republican Press Center on Coverage of the Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which is located at: 16, Navoi str., Tashkent. Consistently preparation is underway for the upcoming elections on the basis of the requirements of legislation and programs substantive preparations and conduct of elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the country of all political parties expressed their desire to participate in the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and to this end, the CEC presented a package of necessary documents. The composition of the district election commissions includes respected members of society who have accumulated experience in past elections. Information on the structure, location and contact telephone numbers of district election commissions published in the local press. In accordance with Article 24 of the Law “On Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” the right to nominate the candidate for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is possessed by political parties. Thus political party may nominate a candidate for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the condition that it is registered by the Ministry of Justice no later than six months prior to the date of announcement of the election campaign. As previously reported, representatives of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen – Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Democratic Party of Uzbekistan “Milly Tiklanish”, the Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan “Adolat” with the aim to participate in the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan package of necessary documents. On the basis of the documents submitted, the Central Election Commission in accordance with Articles 14 and 24 of the Law “On Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan” admitted the political parties to participate in the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On January 15 and 16, 2015, four political parties held a regular sessions. In their meetings political parties considered the issue of developing and implementing a complex action plan to ensure full implementation of the tasks outlined in their Election programs. All politics noted that recently held parliamentary elections were organized in full compliance with the requirements of the Constitution and the electoral laws of the country, internationally recognized standards, on the basis of a truly democratic principles of openness, transparency, alternatives, and most important, the multi-party system. In their sessions political parties also discussed the issue of participation in the upcoming 29 March elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It was noted that this process is of importance in the political life of the country, and they will actively participate on it. It is planned that these issues will be implemented in full accordance with the laws of the country, in particular, of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Law “On elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan”. The Movement of entrepreneurs and businessmen – liberal democratic party of Uzbekistan decided to nominate from the party of a candidate Islam Abduganievich Karimov at the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Based on the fact that issues relating to the participation of the party in this election will decide its highest body, the Congress, the participants were scheduled to hold the next party congress on February 6, 2015. The People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan proposed to nominate a candidate the Chairman of the Central Council of the party Hatamjon Ketmanov to the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and this proposal was supported by voters, supporters and activists of the party. The Party comprehensively discussed issues about the convocation of the IX Congress of the Party and its agenda. The Central Council of the Democratic party of Uzbekistan (DPU) “Milliy Tiklanish” in its regular Plenum on January 16, 2015 in Tashkent on the basis of expressed by participants opinions and suggestions, nominated the member of the parliamentary faction of the DPU Akmal Saidov as candidate to the post of the President of Uzbekistan. In accordance with the current electoral legislation, the party Congress carries out the nomination of a candidate for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. At that it was decided to convene the annual fourth party of Congress on February 7 of the current year and to discuss this issue. The same day, January 16, 2015, the Political Council of the Social-Democratic party of Uzbekistan “Adolat” as a future presidential candidate of the Republic of Uzbekistan from the party nominated Chairman of the Political Council of the SDPU Nariman Umarov. According to the party Charter, a candidate for the post of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan is put forward by the Party Kurultay. In this regard, the holding of the VII Kurultai of the SDPU was scheduled for February 10, 2015 in Tashkent. For registration of candidates for President political parties must submit petitions with signatures of at least 5 percent of the total number of voters of Uzbekistan (20.798 million), representing not less than 8 administrative-territorial units of the country. At the same time in a single administrative-territorial formation (Karakalpakstan region, Tashkent) party cannot collect signatures of more than 8 percent. Candidates will start their canvass after the registration, which ends 35 days before the election. According to the Constitution, elections of the President of Uzbekistan will hold in atmosphere of openness, fairness and in line with the legislation as well as international standards. In the same time, it will contribute to entering a qualitatively new level of development of the political system and to further deepening of democratic and social-economic reforms in Uzbekistan. The presidential elections will be monitored by both local and foreign observers and authoritative international organizations. Representatives of media (national and international) willing to cover the course of elections should get accredited at the Central Election Commission in a due procedure. The accreditation procedure can be learned on the CEC’s official website at www.elections.uz. According to the Resolution of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan from January 7, 14 constituencies formed for the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan within the borders of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regions and Tashkent city.