Sudan’s al-Bashir immunity puts ICC’s effectiveness in question

World Today

The ability of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to leave a summit he went to in South Africa with immunity from arrest for war crimes has raised serious questions about the ability of the International Criminal Court to arrest and hold accountable those leaders accused of war crimes. It has also called into question the level of cooperation from member states of the International Criminal Court in helping to carrying out arrests.
Perhaps even more worrying is the prospect of African Union states withdrawing from the ICC potentially. CCTV’s Liling Tan filed this report from New York.

More Details: 

  • President Omar al-Bashir has returned to Khartoum and avoided an arrest in South Africa, despite war crimes charges and a court order barring him from leaving.
  • Al-Bashir’s return home flouted an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur and appeared to signal to the international court that they don’t have the power they thought they do to bring the accused in for trial.