ICC Prosecutor: States must gear up for arrests

ICC Prosecutor: States must gear up for arrests

ICC-OTP-20081203-PR379 عربي

Situation: Darfur, Sudan

Today, in his briefing to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Darfur, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo called on States to prepare themselves “sooner rather than later” for the decision of the Judges on President Omar Hassan Al Bashir of the Sudan. 

“Massive crimes are being committed in Darfur now; they are taking place because President Bashir wills them to take place” said the Prosecutor.

“What can UNAMID do when those controlling its deployment are the same people ordering the crimes? How long are we going to just tally the casualties, the displacements and the rapes?” he asked.

“If Security Council members can act together, the crimes will stop and millions of lives will be saved. If different interests prevent a strong and consistent position in support of the Court’s decisions, if they give room to false promises, rapes will continue, destruction will continue. An opportunity is coming. A united Security Council can make a difference” said the Prosecutor.

Last June, Presidential Statement 21 was a strong message that the UNSC is united in its efforts to bring justice to the people of Darfur. The future of the Darfuris depends on the ability of the Council to move forward together. Members must as a matter of urgency agree on a course of action.

The Prosecutor recalled the Council’s resolution of August 2003 relating to the Ad Hoc Tribunals, noting full cooperation by all States as an essential prerequisite to achieving their objectives, and outlining a number of measures to actively target those who obstruct the arrest of indicted criminals.

Similar action must be considered in the upcoming months in order to ensure the implementation of all the Court’s arrest warrants in relation to Darfur. The Prosecutor stressed that consistent support for the enforcement of the Court’s decisions is required in any bilateral or multilateral activity.

“No political support, no financial aid should be provided to those individuals subject of an arrest warrant or those protecting them. For those assisting the indictees, individual travel bans and freezing of assets should be considered as appropriate” he said.

The Prosecutor urged States to sever any individual non-essential contacts with indictees.

 “An indicted person travelling on the territory of an UN member State should be arrested and surrendered to the Court. There is no immunity on account of rank or official position for those identified by the judges of the International Criminal Court as responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide” he added.

As the Security Council stated in June, the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur shall co-operate fully with and provide any necessary assistance to the ICC and the Prosecutor.

The International Criminal Court is an independent, permanent court that investigates and prosecutes persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes if national authorities with jurisdiction are unwilling or unable to do so genuinely.   The Office of the Prosecutor is currently investigating in four situations:  The Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Uganda, the Darfur region of Sudan, and the Central African Republic, all still engulfed in various degrees of conflict with victims in urgent need of protection.

03.12.2008 - Eight Report of the Prosecutor of the ICC to the UN Security Council pursuant to UNSC 1593 (2005)

---

In New York
Florence Olara, OTP Public Information Coordinator
+31 (0) 6 5029 4476 (cell)
Email: [email protected]

In The Hague:
Ms Nicola Fletcher, OTP Media Liaison
+31 (0)70 515 8071, cell: +31 (0) 65 089 0473
Email: [email protected]

Source: Office of the Prosecutor