Former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo appeared before International Criminal Court judges for the first time Monday over his role in the deadly aftermath of last year’s polls. Gbagbo, the first ex-president to be brought before the Hague-based court, will face four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape, over violence the UN says left some 3,000 people dead. His transfer to the ICC last week drew a furious reaction from his supporters and set a tense backdrop for December 11 polls that had been billed as a chance to foster reconciliation in the war-weary country.
