The EU Must Not Let Down Sudanese Victims: do not Ignore the Pending ICC Arrest Warrants Against Al-Bashir

15 February 2019

Over the past few years, cooperation between the European Union and the League of Arab States has included “finding common solutions to common problems,” for instance reaching solutions for the conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Libya. Nevertheless, concerns were raised over the EU’s problematic approach to managing migration flows, particularly its policies and agreements with a number of LAS Member States, including Sudan, which resulted in serious human rights violations. In the same vein, hosting a joint summit to enhance regional cooperation must not come at the expense of normalising the EU’s relationship with an ICC fugitive. Doing so would contradict the legally binding EU decision to support cooperation with the ICC, as well as the obligations of individual EU Member States to cooperate with the ICC, including in the execution of arrest warrants.

“If the EU goes forward with hosting a war criminal, it will be a serious blow for the victims of Darfur and an utter disappointment to the Sudanese people who have, over the past weeks, taken to the streets to protest the dire political and economic situation,” said Mossaad Mohamed Ali, Executive Director of African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS). “The EU must listen to and respect the voices of thousands calling for regime change in Sudan and a transitional government that will fulfill aspirations for justice, peace, freedom and democratic transformation.”

Read more here The EU Must Not Let Down Sudanese Victims and ICC Warant of Arrest Against Al-Bashir