ICC: International Criminal Court Issues Summons for Darfur Suspects, Bush Administration Must Match Court's Efforts on Darfur

February 27, 2007

Washington, D.C. – Citizens for Global Solutions, a leading U.S.-based advocacy group for a strong and effective International Criminal Court (ICC) welcomes the ICC’s identification of two perpetrators in the on-going Darfur atrocities.

In his announcement from The Hague today, ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo requested a summons to appear for Ahmad Muhammad Harun, former Minister of State for the Interior of the Government of Sudan, and Ali Kushayb, a Janjaweed militia leader in Darfur. Both men have been accused of working together, and on behalf of the government of Sudan, in committing 51 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Darfur people. The charges include the rape, torture and murder of men and women in four West Darfur villages between 2003 and 2004. Mr. Ocampo did not rule out future charges of genocide.

Golzar Kheiltash, Legal Analyst at Citizens for Global Solutions, said: “The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) has demonstrated its commitment to an impartial investigation that couples the need for justice and accountability for Darfur’s victims with a strict adherence to the highest standards of judicial process and protocol. Mr. Ocampo’s extensive and incriminating evidence against two leading perpetrators, Mr. Harun and Mr. Kushayb, is a strong and promising first step. The Court is clearly taking its commitment to Darfur’s victims very seriously.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the ICC’s concrete efforts for Darfur’s victims,” she said. “The Court is continuing to do its part. The U.S. and the international community must now do theirs. President Bush must supplement his rhetoric on Darfur with concrete action. In the words of the Save Darfur Coalition, it is time for our administration to ‘cooperate completely with the ICC’s prosecution’ of those responsible for the atrocities in Darfur.”

Today’s announcement follows a painstaking 20-month investigation by the OTP and is the first step in what the Prosecutor has articulated will be an ongoing, continuing investigation in Darfur. In addition to charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, requests for summons and/or arrest warrants for additional senior Sudanese officials and Janjaweed rebels are also likely to follow today’s announcement.

“We are exonerating no one,” Mr. Ocampo said. “As the prosecutor, my duty is to look for the evidence. I did it with Mr. Harun, and I will do it again, wherever the evidence goes.”

For more information, please check out the “No Peace Without Justice: U.S. Must Cooperate with ICC on Darfur” briefing paper.