Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, listens to a speech during the opening of the 20th session of The New Partnership for Africa’s Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Jan. 31, 2009. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

By  Gary  Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –   NEW  YORK  –   The International Criminal Court continues to demand the surrender of ousted Sudan dictator Omar Hassan Ahmad-al-Bashir to face charges of alleged war crimes in Darfur.  The Chief Prosecutor of the ICC Karim Khan reportedly sought access to al-Bashir concerning war crimes cases. ICC prosecutor Khan visited Sudan this week  for talks with senior officials regarding outstanding arrest warrants over crimes committed during the 2003 Darfur war under al-Bashir. During a video meeting with the UN Security Council on Thursday, Khan told members of the Council that his visit to the African nation “reinforced my resolve that the Sudan situation needs to be properly prioritized.”  He said there must be accountability and called on Sudanese officials to assist in executing the long-outstanding arrest warrants issued for al-Bashir and his aides for war crimes. 

“The simple truth is that the nightmare for thousands of Darfuris has not ended. And that nightmare of their experiences in large part continues because meaningful justice and accountability has not been felt in the manner that is required, or in my respectful view, was anticipated by the (UN Security) Council in 2005.”

-ICC Chief Prosecutor  Karim Khan

(ICC Photo/  Aug. 25, 2022)  Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, to the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Darfur, pursuant to pursuant to Resolution 1593 (2005)

Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, also called on the UN Security Council to help bring al-Bashir to justice.