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SOAT Welcomes the ICC’s Milestone Decision against Omar al-Bashir on Three Counts of Genocide
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Jul 17, 2010 - 7:59:32 AM

Sudan Organisation Against Torture

SOAT Welcomes the ICC’s Milestone Decision against Omar al-Bashir on Three Counts of Genocide

Human Rights Alert:  17 July 2010

SOAT Stands in Solidarity with the People of Darfur on International Justice Day

Today the 17^th of July 2010, on International Justice Day, SOAT welcomes the International Criminal Court (ICC) second warrant of arrest against the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir. The Chamber of the International Criminal court considers that there are reasonable grounds to believe criminal responsibility for three counts of genocide committed against three Darfur ethnic groups; the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups. The three counts include: 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 ICC reiterated that the second arrest warrant does not replace or revoke in any way the first warrant of arrest issued against Mr Al Bashir on 4 March, 2009, which will remain in effect. SOAT strongly supports the prosecutor’s view that the enforcement of the arrest warrant is a final chance to save Darfur, the final chance to stop al-Bashir from committing further crimes.

Against this back drop, SOAT urges the international community and the UN Security Council to take urgent action in order to stop the Sudanese government from committing further atrocities against innocent civilians. It’s worth highlighting that this case and the overall push for justice for Darfur is very significant and urgent: without holding the persons behind these atrocities accountable, a negotiated peace will be little more than a long-term ceasefire. 

SOAT urges the international community to strongly condemn the decisions of the Sudanese government to expel relief workers in retaliation to the ICC’s decisions at a time when it is most needed.  Sudan government continued efforts to impede and disrupts the work of these humanitarian organizations shows greater callus and disregard to the safety and well-being of its own citizens.

SOAT also condemns the continuing harassment and targeting of human rights defenders and urges the Sudanese human rights advocacy groups working on issues related to the ICC to combat the Sudanese government attempts to infiltrate and thwart the work of these organizations by exercising greater vigilance and careful protection of their organizations.

Ends 

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