Washington, DC., 10 September 2025 ——
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken the unprecedented step of opening a “Confirmation of Charges” hearing in the absence of the fugitive, Joseph Kony. The historic ICC hearing underscores both the enduring pursuit of accountability and ending impunity for the world’s worst crimes, and the challenges of international justice when defendants evade capture.
Rome Statute guidelines stipulate that the hearing’s sole function is to assess whether there is sufficient evidence to establish “substantial grounds” to believe the accused committed the alleged crimes, before potentially moving to trial. The Rome Statute prohibits the accused from being tried in absentia. For the victims and survivors to get the justice they deserve, and for Kony to be held accountable, he must be present to stand trial.
Wanted for War Crimes
Joseph Kony, Ugandan leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), terrorized Central Africa for more than three decades. The LRA was designated a terrorist group by the UN, EU, and other governments, including the US and the UK.
Kony faces 39 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, sexual slavery, torture, forced enlistment of child soldiers, and pillaging across Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). In addition to the abduction of 60,000 children, Kony is accused of more than 100,000 deaths, the displacement of 2 million people in Uganda alone, and horrifying survivor testimonies of forced cannibalism and other acts.
Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army became infamous for their brutality. The LRA is estimated to have abducted over 60,000 children. One of its most heinous practices was the widespread use of child soldiers. The boys were often required to kill friends, family members, or villagers as a means of indoctrination and control. Many were as young as 8 years old. These children were brainwashed, drugged, and subjected to horrific violence, becoming both victims and perpetrators of war crimes. Thousands of survivors still struggle with trauma, displacement, and the challenge of reintegration. Former child soldiers face stigma and psychological scars that endure long after the guns have fallen silent.
Sexual Enslavement
The defense counsel appointed to represent Kony in his absence argued that there should not be a distinction made between enslavement and sexual enslavement. However, is it possible to enslave someone and not inflict sexual acts against them? Most will agree that the answer is “yes.” So, if the answer is in the positive, then adding all enslavement, including sexual enslavement, to the same category as domestic slavery and labor slavery, diminishes the horrific abuse women and girls suffered at the hands of Kony and the LRA.
The victims and survivors of Joseph Kony were forced to have sex – they were repeatedly raped. Women and girls were not permitted to leave – they were enslaved. They were enslaved for sex. And worse still, they were enslaved to produce children for their captors.
Abducted women and girls were frequently enslaved and forced into “marriages” with commanders, where they endured sexual violence and exploitation. Kony believed that once a girl began her menstrual cycle, she was considered mature and ready to be a “wife”. According to ICC prosecutor Elise Pellet, Kony is believed to have as many as 90 “wives”, forced to have sexual intercourse with him on demand, and forced to bear his children. The expectation to bear children was for Kony, a way to create a new tribe, and said each girl was expected to have 15 children.
Women and girls were tortured and faced horrific violence for refusing to have sexual intercourse or other sex acts. They were beaten for breaking the LRA rules. They were beaten so badly that they could not eat or walk, for trying to escape.
Some women and girls were forced to beat other abducted women and girls. One girl was forced to carry the severed head of another abductee who tried to escape. One abducted girl was beaten severely. Then, she was told to remove her blouse, and with a hot machete, the sign of the cross was carved into her back. She was then forced to carry heavy supplies on her back.
Holding Kony Accountable
Joseph Kony remains a symbol of impunity and the enduring difficulty of achieving justice in the aftermath of mass atrocities. The warrant for his arrest remains active to this day, making him one of the ICC’s most wanted fugitives. However, capturing him has proven exceptionally difficult. The LRA’s guerrilla tactics and movement across remote and often inaccessible regions have made it nearly impossible for authorities to track him down.
The ICC’s determination to bring Kony to trial is commendable; it highlights both the potential and the limitations of international justice. While the court has successfully prosecuted other war criminals, it lacks the enforcement power to apprehend fugitives.
The Court relies on state cooperation, which is often inconsistent or politically complicated, to carry out arrests. These challenges also expose the need for stronger international cooperation, regional stability, and investment in justice systems. As the world continues to seek accountability for the crimes of the past, the case of Joseph Kony serves as a stark reminder: justice delayed must not become justice denied.
Joseph Kony’s legacy is one of unimaginable suffering. His crimes are a stark reminder of the human capacity for cruelty and the importance of international justice mechanisms. For many victims and advocates, justice will not be served until Kony is brought before the International Criminal Court to answer for his atrocities.
Photo Credit: Peace Monument in Gulu, Northern Uganda by Malaika Overcomer. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
This metal peace monument was established in 2009 by the Dutch Embassy at the Gulu District Local Government headquarters. It depicts two children ( a female and a male) reading a book on top of a pile of 20 books. The monument was established in honor of the end of the 20-year war of the Lord’s Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony. There used to be guns laid at their feet, but they no longer exist. The guns that used to be laid at the feet of children show, “let’s put down firearms and focus on dialogue.”
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, an NGO nonprofit organization in Washington, DC. She is the author of Beyond the Veil: Afghan Women and Girls’ Journey to Freedom (forthcoming), Assad’s Syria, and Stories from Yemen: A Diary from the Field, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and independent bookstores worldwide. Distributed by Ingram. Ms. Kajs frequently speaks about atrocity crimes, forced displacement, state terrorism, and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Follow and connect with Lara Kajs on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.