ICC judges confirm charges against Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony

Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony answers journalists' questions following a meeting at Ri-Kwangba in southern Sudan on Nov. 12, 2006. (AP / Stuart Price)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed war crimes and crimes against humanity charges against Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, who remains at large.

A three-judge panel found “substantial grounds” to believe Kony is responsible for 29 counts, including murder, sexual enslavement and rape while he lead the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army that terrorized northern Uganda.

“The social and cultural fabric of Northern Uganda has been torn apart and it is still struggling to rebuild itself,” deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang said during his opening statements last month. It was the first time the global tribunal had held an in absentia hearing.

For the trial to proceed further, the ICC would need to have Kony in custody.

Kony was thrust into the global spotlight in 2012 when a video about his crimes went viral. Despite the attention and international efforts to capture him, he remains at large.

Court-appointed counsel for Kony argued the proceedings violated their client’s fair trial rights and should not have been held at all.

“The empty chair impacted the preparation of the defense,” lawyer Peter Haynes said, pointing to the courtroom seat where Kony would be if he was present.

The hearing was widely seen as a test case for the court, allowing it to move forward with other prominent cases where the likelihood of having a suspect detained is remote — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The LRA began its attacks in Uganda in the 1980s, when Kony sought to overthrow the government. After being pushed out of Uganda, the militia went on to attack villages in Congo, Central African Republic and South Sudan. It was notorious for using child soldiers, mutilating civilians and enslaving women.

Molly Quell, The Associated Press