The Hague, December 9 (Darfur24)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, to 20 years in prison on Tuesday following his conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, western Sudan.
The sentence is effective from the date Kushayb surrendered to the court in June 2020.
In a statement regarding the sentence, the ICC Prosecutor’s Office announced that it would review the written decision to assess whether further legal action is warranted.
The statement noted that the Prosecutor’s Office had previously requested a life sentence due to the exceptional severity of the crimes. These crimes included murder, rape, torture, persecution, and other acts committed with extreme brutality and violence, either as a direct perpetrator, accomplice, or instigator.
The statement highlighted several factors behind the request for a life sentence, including: the large number of victims—253 in total, which included 213 Darfuris who were killed, among them children, as well as 16 women and girls who were raped; the particularly heinous nature of the acts committed; the geographical spread of the crimes; and the extended duration over which the crimes occurred.
The Office of the Prosecutor reaffirmed its commitment to achieving accountability in the Darfur situation, stating that investigations are ongoing.
The Prosecutor’s Office continues its intensive work investigating recent events, particularly in the cities of El Geneina and El Fasher, to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
On October 6, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Court unanimously convicted Abd al-Rahman Kushayb on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity that were committed during his time as a senior commander of the pro-government Janjaweed militia during military operations in Darfur from August 2003 to March 2004.