ICC prosecutor: Bashir, other suspects must face justice over Darfur
The International Criminal Court has declared ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and other suspects wanted for alleged war crimes and genocide in Darfur.
ICC Chief prosecutor on Tuesday October 20, 2020, said the suspects must face justice without further delay.
Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda stated that, “Options for prosecuting them, including a trial in Sudan and a hybrid tribunal, were being discussed with Sudanese authorities.”
“We are seeing what is possible, they must all face justice without further delay,” Bensouda said.
The ICC has outstanding arrest warrants against Bashir and three other Sudanese suspects on charges of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.
The conflict in Darfur, escalated from 2003 when mainly non-Arab rebels took up arms against Bashir’s government, triggering a campaign of repression by the army and mostly-Arab militias.
More than 300,000 people are estimated to have been killed and 2.5 million displaced.
Bashir has been in jail in Khartoum since he was forced from office in April 2019 following months of protests.
Bensouda said she was encouraged by meetings with senior officials from the transitional authorities who assumed power after his overthrow.
“I particularly welcomed the assurances of support and cooperation expressed to me by the authorities during this visit,” she said.
