Sudan’s leadership said it would likely send former dictator Omar al-Bashir, 76, to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
“Justice cannot be achieved if we don’t heal the wounds. We agreed that everyone who had arrest warrants issued against them will appear before the ICC. I’m saying it very clearly”, a spokesperson for the Sudanese government said.
Al-Bashir is to face trial for war crimes in the Darfur region, which resulted in 300,000 deaths. The decision comes after the government and the Sudanese Revolutionary Front rebel alliance have been negotiating to ensure peace.
Al-Bashir ruled Sudan for 30 years, during which he turned the country into an Islamist totalitarian state. In December 2018, people began protesting due to the worsening economic situation in the country. The US added Sudan to its terrorism list in 1993 over claims that al-Bashir’s government was supporting terrorist groups.
Since al-Bashir’s ouster, Sudan has been under the control of a military junta, the Transitional Military Council, which will govern the country for three years, until the planned elections. After months of civil disobedience, al-Bashir has been imprisoned on corruption charges since December.
Al-Bashir was charged with war crimes by the ICC in 2009. An arrest warrant was also issued. The ICC accused al-Bashir of supporting an ethnic cleansing operation in Darfur in 2003. However, there is no guarantee Sudan will carry out the extradition.
