The International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber III has confirmed charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Joseph Kony, the court announced, while confirming that the accused remains at large and has yet to appear before the court.

The confirmation means the case will proceed toward trial, but the chamber cannot begin hearings until the defendant is in ICC custody. The court emphasized this point in the title of its own announcement: the accused is "still at large."

What Did Pre-Trial Chamber III Decide?

Pre-Trial Chamber III, sitting at the ICC in The Hague, found that the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence to commit the accused to trial on charges covering both war crimes and crimes against humanity. The confirmation of charges is a key procedural milestone in ICC proceedings: it determines whether the prosecutor's evidence establishes substantial grounds to believe that the person committed each of the crimes charged.

What Does the Ruling Change for Practitioners?

For counsel and observers, the decision settles the scope of the case that will go to trial. The charges now confirmed — spanning war crimes and crimes against humanity — define the factual and legal framework for any future trial proceedings. Because the accused has not been arrested or surrendered to the court, the case remains in a distinctive procedural posture: the charges stand confirmed, but trial cannot commence. Practitioners tracking ICC procedure will note that arrest and surrender remain the precondition for the case to move to the trial stage.

The ICC has repeatedly emphasized that a person accused before the court is presumed innocent until proven guilty. That presumption applies fully here, and the confirmation of charges is not a conviction.

• Deciding body: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber III
• Decision: Charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity confirmed
• Case: The Kony case
• Status of accused: At large; not in ICC custody
• Next stage: Trial, contingent on arrest and surrender

What Happens Next?

The case now moves, procedurally, to the trial stage — but only on paper until the accused is transferred to the court. The ICC relies on states and international cooperation to execute arrest warrants. Until that happens, the confirmed charges remain in place and the proceedings stay suspended ahead of trial.