[JURIST] A court in Ivory Coast unanimously sentenced former first lady Simone Gbagbo [ICC case materials] to 20 years in prison on Tuesday. She was sentenced [BBC report] for undermining state security for her role in the post-election violence in 2010 that left 3,000 people dead. Her husband Laurent Gbagbo, the former incumbent president, refused to step down from office after Alassane Ouattara [BBC backgrounder] was declared the winner of the 2010 election, which sparked the months-long conflict. She was also accused of organizing armed gangs and disturbing the public order. More than 80 other supporters of her husband were on trial with the former first lady, but only 15 were acquitted. Simone Gbagbo plans to appeal the verdict.

Simone Gbagbo’s trial began [JURIST report] in late December. Her defense lawyer stated that she was innocent and that the charges against her lacked evidence, framing the whole proceeding as a political attack. In November 2012 the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] unsealed [JURIST report] an arrest warrant for Simone Gbagbo for crimes against humanity during the post-election violence, but the Ivory Coast opted to try her domestically. Laurent Gbagbo is awaiting trial [CNN report] at the ICC for four charges including murder, rape and persecution.