ICC judges decision on Bashir warrant unlikely next week
January 11, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – The Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are unlikely to make a ruling on the case against Sudanese president next week, Sudan Tribune has learned.
However the judges of Pre-Trial Chamber I that is deliberating on Bashir’s case, are still in recess with one of them not returning until the third week of January.
The judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber I consist of Akua Kuenyehia from Ghana, Sylvia Steiner from Brazil and Anita Usacka from Latvia.
The Rome Statute that forms the basis of the ICC stipulates that the functions of the Pre-Trial Chambers “shall be carried out either by three judges…. or by a single judge of that division”.
However the Pre-Trial Chamber must issue a formal decision assigning its functions to a single judge, otherwise any decision to issue an arrest warrant must be signed by all three judges to take effect.
In mid-July the ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder and accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
But the Pre-Trial Chamber I has officially started reviewing the case in early October meeting with the prosecutor for over 3 hours in a closed session for oral discussions on his case against Sudanese president.
On November 17 Ocampo submitted to the judges more than 700 pages of additional supporting material on his application per the request of the Chamber.
The judges went into a month long judicial recess that officially ended on January 5th.
There is no timeframe imposed by the Rome Statute for the judges to make a ruling, however in other cases it took up to three months.
Sudan along with some regional organizations wanted the UN Security Council (UNSC) to invoke Article 16 of the ICC Statute which allows the council to suspend the ICC prosecutions in any case for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.
However Sudanese officials appeared to have given up on an Article 16 resolution saying that an arrest warrant is now imminent.
Sudan has not ratified the Rome Statute, but the UN Security Council (UNSC) invoked the provisions under the Statute that enables it to refer situations in non-State parties to the world court if it deems that it is a threat to international peace and security.
(ST)
Deng
ICC judges decision on Bashir warrant unlikely next week
The day of a thief are also forty. the day of El Bashier are coming to an end with the indictment of ICC. People shouldn’t be intermediated by arab agression which is see as propaganda. they are crying for plastinian while they have forgotten the Darfur issue. what a great stupidity do these have in their mind. One can’t imegine that people are focusing to the outside while they have their own problem which is the biggest genocide in the world. the arrest is not just arrest but a victory of the marginalise people of Sudan. The Arab and the Islamic ideologies are just fooling people they are just blessless which are just an idea of killing innocent people. who are they only people see as people does not have any God. the ideologies is about to death, and truth of sudanese is coming to be hard by the world.
The declaration of Jihad by El tourabi in 1997 is almost deadly they should not make thing up that they can fight who can if the SPLA has kick their ass in Abyei and in Malakal EL tourabi is confind in his house with his lies that allowed christian to marry a muslim which is not their religion but to influent their girl to participate in politic. The truth is not about religion but who say the right thing, the thing that will service the needs of people.
It is time for SPLA to kickout the ideology of Islam into the recycle bin or jallaba to drink it. there is no country that can be rule by religion but people with religion can rule the country. thank God the devil is about to be brought into justice in ICC , the vision holy man the man is come to be true DR John Garang vision is previaling.
Kur
ICC judges decision on Bashir warrant unlikely next week
Like the blood of biblical Abel, the blood of the Darfur children is crying before God and the judges in The Huge. The evil dictator must anwser to his crimes. Therefore, the Sudanese people hope that justice will be done so that genocide may not be committed again in that land. But I do not know why it takes so long to end impunity against the innocent women and children of Darfur? Please you are too slow. We want Bashir behind bars sooner than later.
Kur
tayeb M. Alhassan
ICC judges decision on Bashir warrant unlikely next week
It is the high time for us to defend our achievements and objective. Achievements of peace in the South prevailed by the CPA. Peace in the East reached through expensive sacrifices and hard negotiations. Progressive and comprehensive development program which now going on throughout the country for the welfare of all the people of Sudan as a security for the future of our children. We suffer a lot in the past from dormant poverty and crippled by wars and underdevelopment while we live in the vast and richest land.
Before we use to hear about historical plots and conspiracies woven against our country but today we come to witness live actions to undermine its renascence and progress. We are confident that Albasheer as a human being is not immortal to live for ever but his achievements will stay. Those who call for Albahseer apprehend, they either do not know the meanings of what they are calling for or they don’t care about all above mentioned achievements be gone with the wind.
The upcoming elections is the true opportunity for every ambitious one said to be politician with talents and tolerance to succeed Albasheer. A chance which itself Albasheer has availed.