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Her husband is in ICC custody over similar charges
Ivory Coast refused to transfer Simone Gbagbo to ICC
A court in Ivory Coast has sentenced former first lady Simone Gbagbo to 20 years in prison, the official AIP news agency said.
Gbagbo was convicted Monday for her role in carrying out crimes against humanity following post-election violence in 2010 which left more than 3,000 people dead.
Her husband, former president Laurent Gbagbo, is in the custody of the Hague-based International Criminal Court awaiting trial over similar charges.
The charges stem from the aftermath of Gbagbo’s husband’s election defeat in 2010.
Laurent Gbagbo, then the incumbent president, refused to step down after Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner of the election. The standoff sparked months of violence between supporters of the two sides, leaving thousands dead.
In 2012, the ICC issued a warrant against her, alleging that as a member of the president’s inner circle, his wife was an “indirect co-perpetrator.” She attended meetings where plans were discussed and carried out to persecute Ouattara supporters, according to the warrant.
Her husband surrendered to the ICC in December of that year, and is currently awaiting trial at The Hague on crimes against humanity for the civil unrest and deaths.
Both have denied the charges.
But Ivory Coast refused to transfer Simone Gbago, saying it would try her in a domestic court instead.
On Monday, it did.
CNN’s Faith Karimi contributed to this report.