Sudan excludes handling of Darfur crimes suspects
Feb 23, 2007 (ABU-DHABI) — Sudanese defence minister has rejected to handle any suspect to the International Criminal Court over Darfur war crimes.
The national defence minister, Maj-Gen Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, has reiterated Sudan’s rejection of the handing over Darfur of war crimes suspects to the (ICC) in The Hague. He made the remarks during a press conference at the Sudanese embassy in Abu-Dhabi.
The Sudanese official was reaction to the announcement that ICC prosecutor will present evidence, on Tuesday 27 February, of alleged war crimes committed in the Darfur region of Sudan, the court announced Thursday.
The minister stressed that the government will not handover suspects accused of committing war crimes in Darfur to the ICC saying that the international court has no jurisdiction to try war crimes in Darfur.
He pointed out the ability and competence of the Sudanese judiciary to try the suspects.
The Sudanese minister of Foreign Affairs Lam Akol said Sudan would react officially to the ICC after the official publication of the list of Darfur war crimes suspects next week.
After presentation of evidence by Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Tuesday, judges will decide whether to open an inquiry against the suspects with the aim of eventually issuing international arrest warrants.
The prosecutor has investigated accusations of persecution, torture, rape and murder since June 2006. He has focused on events alleged to have occurred between 2003 and 2004, considered the most violent period involving the crisis in Darfur
(ST)