The ICC intends to take serious steps to arrest Al Bashir and Haroun

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced its intention to take serious steps on the ground to ensure the implementation of arrest warrants issued against ousted Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir and two prominent former officials; Ahmed Haroun and Abdel-Rahim Mohammed Hussein. The latest development comes as part of the Court’s ongoing efforts to end impunity for crimes in Darfur.

During an official briefing to the UN Security Council, (ICC) Deputy Prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan confirmed that her office plans to conduct a new visit to Sudan in the coming period to focus on the implementation of arrest warrants. She noted that the wanted individuals remain in the country and that the court will not back down from its efforts to achieve justice.

“We meet at a time when it may seem difficult to find the right words to describe the depth of the suffering in Darfur,” according to Khan, who went on to stress that the Office of the Prosecutor has reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in the region.

In regards to the Sudanese government’s cooperation, Khan expressed cautious optimism, noting that there are positive indicators, especially after the filing of a lawsuit against Ali Mohammed Ali Abdel-Rahman, known as “Ali Kushayb,” and considering that particular case to be a model of what can be achieved when international efforts are combined.