A Kenyan lawyer has petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to declare that the trial of Jesus and his subsequent crucifixion went against the principles of a fair trial.

As part of the action, Dola Indidis — who as well as being a lawyer used to be the spokesperson for the Kenyan judiciary — is attempting to sue Tiberius (Emperor of Rome 42 BC-37AD), Pontius Pilate, a selection of Jewish elders, King Herod, the Republic of Italy and the State of Israel.

Indidis argues that the key figures involved in Jesus’ crucifixion “erred in law”, while the modern states of Italy and Israel have apparently been named in the action because of their incorporation of aspects of the laws of the Roman Empire (which were in force at the time of Jesus’ death).

Indidis told The Nairobian: “I filed the case because it’s my duty to uphold the dignity of Jesus and I have gone to the ICJ to seek justice for the man from Nazareth. His selective and malicious prosecution violated his human rights through judicial misconduct, abuse of office bias and prejudice.”

The case was first filed in the High Court in Nairobi, where it was rejected. Indidis then applied to have it heard at the ICJ, which, according to Kenyan news website SDE, has constituted a pre-trial panel to consider the case.

“The court has communicated to me. I am now waiting for the date of hearing,” Indidis is reported as having said.

However, when Legal Cheek contacted the ICJ yesterday it denied that it was considering the case. A spokesperson said: “The ICJ has no jurisdiction for such a case. The ICJ settles disputes between states. It is not even theoretically possible for us to consider this case.”

Indidis outlines the thinking behind his petition in more detail in the video below.