Friday, September 19, 2008

ICC prosecutor says decision on Sudanese President Al-Bashir arrest warrant unlikely in October

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo downplayed speculations that judges will reach a decision on an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omer Hassan al-Bashir.

“Normally, when the judges start to analyze [a case] they call us for hearings and they ask for more information. They have not yet done that” he said.

“I don’t know how long it will take, the judges will decide, but I don’t think October would be possible” he said.

The ICC Judges has been in a month long recess from July 18 to August 18.

The ICC prosecutor also told Reuters that his office is looking into a raid by Sudanese by soldiers and security officers on Kalma IDP camp in South Darfur that took place in late August killing at least 30 people and injuring many more.

Ocampo said he asked the Sudan and the Arab League for an update on investigations launched into the incident by local authorities. He said that his office is trying to determine whether it was an isolated incident or the start of a new wave of violence against civilians.

“The Kalma camp attack had to be highlighted because it’s a case in which allegations are that al-Bashir forces killed civilians directly in the camp” Ocampo told Associated Press in a separate interview today.

He revealed that his investigation into rebel attack on peacekeepers is almost complete and challenged the Darfur rebels to cooperate.

“It will be a challenge for the rebel forces to comply” the prosecutor said.

“Some of them say ‘we are ready to go to court if the court calls us’. OK the time will come, very soon." he added.

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Photo: ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo speaks during a meeting with Colombian judiciary on August 27, 2008 (AFP/ST)

Source: Sudan Tribune report September 13, 2008 entitled 'Bashir arrest warrant unlikely in October'

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