THE HAGUE, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Former President of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo has been acquitted of all charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) here on Tuesday.
The judges also ordered the immediate release of the now 73-year-old Gbagbo, president of Ivory Coast from 2000 to 2011.
In the combined trial, Charles Ble Goude, former minister of youth in Ivory Coast, was also acquitted on all charges.
The judges ruled by majority that the prosecutor "has not satisfied the burden of proof." The prosecutor may appeal against the verdict.
Both Ivorian leaders stood trial for crimes allegedly committed against supporters of Alassane Ouattara, current president of Ivory Coast, in post-election violence between December 2010 and April 2011, in which some 3,000 civilians were reportedly killed. Gbagbo refused to accept defeat against Ouattara after the election.
Gbagbo was arrested after a months-long standoff with Ouattara's troops, aided by UN and French forces on Nov. 23, 2011, and then was turned over to the ICC on Nov. 30, 2011.
Ble Goude surrendered to the ICC's custody on March 22, 2014, following a warrant arrest issued by the ICC on Dec. 21, 2011.
