Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Karim Khan has reiterated the court’s commitment to achieve justice for the victims of the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Mr Khan made the remarks on Wednesday after a meeting in Sudan’s capital Khartoum with members of the country’s Sovereign Council Al-Hadi Idris and Al-Tahir Hajar.
He urged in a statement the Sudanese government to help achieving the court’s task.
Earlier, Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi said the Council of Ministers has agreed to hand over the suspects wanted by the ICC to the court, according to official SUNA news agency.
She noted the cabinet would submit the decision to hand over the suspects and a draft law to join the ICC Rome Statute to a joint meeting for the sovereign council and the cabinet (the interim parliament) for approval.
The ICC court demands handing over of the ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and two of his senior aides to appear before the court, accusing them of allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur region.
On August 3, the Sudanese cabinet approved a draft law to join the ICC Rome Statute, but this law will not be effective until it is approved by the interim parliament.
During 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012, the ICC issued arrest warrants against former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, former Defense Minister Abdul-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, former Interior Minister Ahmed Mohamed Haroun and around 21 other government officials for allegedly committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region.
The transitional authorities in Sudan, which were established after the ouster of al-Bashir in April 2019, have earlier expressed readiness to cooperate with the ICC regarding the file of the suspects of committing crimes in Darfur.
Khartoum is considering three options to try the suspects of committing crimes in Darfur, including establishing a special court, a hybrid court of the government and the ICC or handing them to the ICC. -Xinhua
