This could be huge! Victims have been waiting for justice for widespread atrocities committed in #Darfur for 15+ years. Keen to have more details on plans for #Bashir to at last face the #ICC charges against him. Some further info on case at @hrw: hrw.org/news/2019/05/0…
@hrw I first began working on the campaign to see perpetrators of widespread crimes in #Darfur held to account in 2004 as @HRW continued to document the extreme brutality against civilians: hrw.org/news/2004/09/2…
@hrw It was time when the prospect of the #UNSC coming together to ensure justice for the gravest crimes at the #ICC was more on the table than in recent years. (see: hrw.org/news/2014/05/2…). But given the #US anti-ICC position, it was far from a foregone conclusion.
@hrw But we knew that any chance for accountability was not going to take place in #Sudan's domestic courts given that government forces were implicated so extensively in the crimes: hrw.org/report/2005/12…
The now famous Commission of Inquiry led by the late Antonio Cassese on the crimes produced a scathing report on the extent of the abuses, & called for the #ICC to investigate: un.org/ruleoflaw/file…. This was a major boost to the effort to see referral go forward.
Intense #UNSC negotiations unfolded. In the end the #US to its credit (but not without insidious caveats that exempted non-ICC member citizens from ICC reach) let referral go through. Resolution 1593 was dramatically adopted close to midnight on 3/31/05: hrw.org/news/2005/03/3….
In the heady moments of that time, I could never have imagined that surrender of #ICC suspects on #Darfur crimes would remain so blocked for so many years and some countries would welcome him despite his being an international war crimes fugitive: dailymaverick.co.za/article/2015-0…
But the five individuals charged by the #ICC have remained out of reach: icc-cpi.int/darfur.
Fast forward to another set of surprises in April last year when #Bashir was ousted after months of protests and a new hope that #Darfur victims might have the chance to see #ICC cases go forward: hrw.org/news/2019/04/1…
Initial reactions from the governing #Sudanese authorities have been inconsistent on the idea at best with some indicated he will not be turned over.
But today is a day for renewed optimism. #Sudan can show it has turned a corner & will support the rule of law and international obligations by surrendering the five #ICC suspects. We look forward to applauding such a move on behalf of #Darfur's victims-voanews.com/africa/darfur-….
