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ICC to rule on al-Beshir arrest warrant on 4 March

Article published on the 2009-02-23 Latest update 2009-02-24 09:31 TU

Sudan's President Omar Hassan Al Beshir in Egypt(Photo: Reuters)

Sudan's President Omar Hassan Al Beshir in Egypt
(Photo: Reuters)

The International Criminal Court announced on Monday that it will decide next week whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, asked the court for an arrest warrant in July last year for charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Analysis: Abdallah Al-Achaal, Author

 
 

23/02/2009 by Laura Angela Bagnetto

During a pre-trial chamber of judges, the ICC said it would make an announcement on 4 March, giving a decision on the application for prosecution.

There had been a number of rumours about the outcome of the prosecutor's request, so the court decided to announce the date.

If the warrant is granted, it will make al-Beshir the first sitting head of state to be brought before the ICC.

The charges have angered some in Africa, who say they will push for a one-year suspension of the case.

“Now while in office, I don’t think that he can be addressed by the court decisions […] the best way is that the Security Council can postpone according to its competence in Article 16, the whole case for one year,” says Abdallah Al-Achaal, the author of Sudan and the International Criminal Court.

Moreno-Ocampo has requested a warrant on ten counts, including three for genocide. He accuses al-Beshir of instructing his forces to destroy three ethnic groups – the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.

Meanwhile, there are fears that a trial could damage the peace process in Sudan.

“This act on behalf of the court, would be devastating for the international force [in Sudan] because no one can control the people there, and the Sudanese are very furious,” Al-Achaal told RFI. “The authority of the government is not very strong, because of these accusations against al-Beshir, and the rebels feel as if the act of the court is in favour of them."

At the African Union summit in Addis Ababa earlier this month, AU Commission chief Jean Ping told RFI that there was a problem in the ICC only targeting Africans. He drew attention to other conflicts in Gaza, Iraq or Sri Lanka, which have not received similar ICC treatment.