On 21 July 2026, Jens Dieckmann, Court-appointed Legal Representative for Victims, Associate Counsel, at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Associated Tenant at 9BR Chambers, appeared before Trial Chamber IV during the public Status Conference in The Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain.
Speaking on behalf of the 103 participating victims from six African countries, Mr Dieckmann presented oral observations addressing the Prosecution's application to terminate the proceedings. His submissions emphasised the central role of victims in international criminal justice, the Court's responsibility to safeguard the integrity of its proceedings, and the broader implications of the case for accountability, the rule of law and the fight against impunity.
Background
The Banda case arises from the 29 September 2007 attack on the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMIS) at Haskanita, Darfur, Sudan, during which peacekeepers were killed and wounded. The proceedings constitute one of the ICC's longest-running cases and raise significant questions concerning the effective participation of victims and the administration of international criminal justice.
Mr Dieckmann has served as Legal Representative for Victims in the Banda proceedings since 2011, working together with Principal Counsel Maître Hélène Cissé in representing the interests and voices of the participating victims before the Court.
Video of Status Conference (Jens Dieckmann's Oral Observations at 27.27min to 37.00min) - Watch here
OTP Press Release from 14.07.2026
IXC Case Information Sheet - BandaEng.pdf
