A decision made during peace talks earlier this week means, theoretically, Sudan’s deposed dictator will face the International Criminal Court on genocide charges. No one knows whether this monumental transfer will happen or not.
A member of the ruling council told reporters “authorities in Khartoum had agreed to send to the International Criminal Court all those who had an arrest warrant against them, so that would include the former president, Omar al Bashir,” Middle East Concern’s Daniel Hoffman says.
“If that [happens], that will be very big; it will be enormous.”
The ICC issued warrants for Bashir’s arrest in 2009 and 2010, BBC News reports. He was the first sitting president to receive ICC warrants, and – prior to Bashir’s ouster – Sudan’s government refused to hand him over:
Non-cooperation has prevented the ICC from executing arrest warrants for senior figures in the Sudanese government, including former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who has sought to undermine the Court through the African Union.
If transferred to the ICC, Bashir would stand trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide connected to the ongoing Darfur conflict. More about that here. However, “nobody really expects that the military would agree to that (handover), partly because it may open the prospect of some of them being charged… with the same crimes,” Hoffman explains.
“Some of them, including the Vice President of the Council, [were] very much involved in those kinds of atrocities.”
While it’s a positive development, Bashir’s potential transfer isn’t the only noteworthy change in Sudan.
SOURCE: Mission Network News, Katey Hearth
All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source