Sudan, ICC delegation discuss cooperation on Darfur crimes
December 14, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – A visiting delegation from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday discussed with two members of the Sovereign Council ways to enhance cooperation on the war crimes committed in the Darfur region.
Following the December revolution, two ICC prosecutors visited Sudan and agreed with the transitional authorities to open an office in Khartoum, send investigation teams to Darfur to meet the victims.
The Sudanese presidency issued two statements on Tuesday saying that Malik Agar and Tahir Hajar two members of the transitional collegial presidency met an ICC delegation led by Julian Samuel Director of the Office of the ICC Prosecutor.
The meeting with Hajar discussed the agenda of a planned visit of ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to Sudan in the coming months, and the extradition of indicted former officials to The Hague based court said the Sovereign Council.
For his part, Agar reassured the delegation about Sudan’s commitment to the signed agreements with the court in terms of visa issuance for the investigators, and the protection of witnesses.
The statement said added the meeting further discussed coordination between the Sudanese authorities and the ICC considering the lack of a justice minister for the time been.
After the coup d’état of 25 October, the ministries are run by the undersecretaries.
During his first visit to Sudan last August, Prosecutor Khan signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) extending bilateral cooperation to include all individuals indicted by the ICC.
The first protocol was related to the case of Ali Kusheib who is under trial in The Hague.
Also, he requested to provide the court with immediate and full access to evidence pertinent to the Darfur crimes.
Sudan expressed willingness to hand over ousted President Omer al-Bashir and his close aides wanted by the ICC.
Former Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had requested Sudan to hand over Ahmed Haroun former state minister for interior saying his case was closely linked to the ongoing trial of Kusheib.
The Head of the Sovereign Council several times hinted at the principle of complementarity, which gives Sudan the right to try the ICC wanted people in the country.
However, he does not decline their handover publically.
Peace signatory groups, for their part, call to hand al-Bashir over to the ICC court pointing that it has been part of the Juba Peace Agreement.
(ST)