October 23, 2020 (Khartoum) Amnesty International has urged the Sudanese authorities to prioritize the ICC’s path to justice, and to immediately transfer individuals accused of crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes to court.
ICC prosecutor , Fatou Bensouda, visited Khartoum last week to pave the way for constructive cooperation with Sudan, and to discuss options available for trying former President Omar Al-Bashir and others accused of crimes committed in Darfur.
Debrose Muchina, Regional Director of Amnesty International’s Eastern and Southern Africa Program said “ICC trials are essential to ensure accountability and justice for victims of the atrocious crimes committed in Darfur”.
“While Sudanese authorities must take urgent steps to pursue national level accountability, and rightly explore alternative regional and international justice mechanisms, victims of atrocities must not be denied justice any longer,” Muchena said.
“The ICC currently offers the most appropriate and timely recourse to justice while reform and strengthening of the weak and politically compromised judicial system is carried out,” she further stressed.
Muchina explained that the Sudanese authorities must cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court, and grant the court’s investigators unrestricted access to Sudan and Darfur to collect the evidence necessary to conduct the trial.