Pre-Trial Chamber I informs the Security Council and the Assembly of States Parties about Omar Al Bashir’s visits to Kenya and Chad

Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued two decisions informing the Security Council of the United Nations and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al Bashir’s visits to the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad, “in order for them to take any measure they may deem appropriate”.

The Chamber had learnt that Al Bashir was invited by the Government of Kenya to attend today’s celebrations for the promulgation of the new Kenyan Constitution and was in Chad from 21 to 23 July. The Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad have an “obligation to cooperate with the Court” to enforce the warrants of arrest issued against Al Bashir by the ICC, according to the Chamber.

The ICC Registrar was ordered to immediately transmit these decisions to the Security Council and to the Assembly of States Parties. Previously, pursuant to the Pre-Trial Chamber decisions issuing two warrants of arrest against Omar Al Bashir, the ICC Registrar had issued and transmitted requests for arrest and surrender of Mr. Al Bashir to all States Parties to the Rome Statute, including the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad.

On 4 March, 2009, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC issued a first warrant of arrest against Mr. Al Bashir considering that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect is criminally responsible for five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts for war crimes. A second warrant of arrest was issued against Mr. Al Bashir, on 12 July, 2010, for three counts of genocide.

The situation in Darfur was referred to the International Criminal Court by the United Nations Security Council’s resolution 1593, on 31 March, 2005. In this situation, four cases are being heard: The Prosecutor v. Ahmad Muhammad Harun (“Ahmad Harun”) and Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”); The Prosecutor v. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir; The Prosecutor v. Bahar Idriss Abu Garda and The Prosecutor v. Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus.

Decision informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al-Bashir's presence in the territory of the Republic of Kenya

Decision informing the United Nations Security Council and the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al-Bashir's recent visit to the Republic of Chad

For further information please contact Sonia Robla, Chief of Public Information and Documentation Section, at +31 (0)70 515-8089 or +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at [email protected]