On July 12th, the ICC issued a second arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, this time including three counts of genocide. Al-Bashir was first indicted in March of 2009 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a statement by the ICC, Mr Bashir is specifically accused of "genocide by killing, genocide by causing serious bodily or mental harm and genocide by deliberately inflicting on each target group conditions of life calculated to bring about the group's physical destruction". The groups referred to in this statement are the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa communities of Darfur.
Though there is no possibility for al-Bashir’s immediate arrest, these new charges bring important legal and emotional implications to al-Bashir’s already damaged international reputation. It is significant that the international community hold responsible the perpetrators of the violence and atrocities in Darfur, and though it may be difficult to determine the immediate effect of this ruling, it is clear that this is a step forward for justice and against impunity.
If you’re interested in more info, check out some of the links below.
Thanks for staying tuned to this important issue. We will have further updates in the weeks and months ahead, including important things you can do. In the meantime, please check out our current campaigns if you’re looking to get involved.
The Economist: The ICC and Africa
The Damanga Coalition's Statement
Human Rights Watch Statement
Sudan Tribune
Human Rights and Advocacy Network for Democracy (HAND) Statement
