International criminal court

• Statement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, after the alleged militia leader, Ali Mohamed Ali Abdel Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, surrendered and transferred to the court.
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• Today, a remarkable achievement was achieved in the case of Darfur in Sudan, with the surrender of Mr. Ali Kushayb, an alleged leader of the “Janjaweed” militia, and transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Court (“the Court”).
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• I am grateful for the cooperation of all those countries, organizations and individuals who have contributed to this pivotal development, especially the Governments of the Central African Republic, the Republic of Chad, the French Republic and the host country of the Netherlands, as well as the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. (“Minuska”).
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• I also express my appreciation to my dedicated team, along with colleagues from the Registry, whose tireless efforts in the exercise of our independent mandates, contributed to the development that took place today and the suspect was successfully transferred to the court. Today's result has been achieved despite the complexities of the process, at least in the midst of the complexities added to the complexities of working in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. I am truly grateful for the professionalism and dedication of all colleagues who contributed to this effort.
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• It is reported that on 31 March 2005, the United Nations Security Council referred the situation in Darfur, Sudan, since 1 July 2002 to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, by resolution 1593 (2005). The prosecution began its investigations into the case of Darfur in June 2005. On 27 April 2007, the judges of the Court's Pre-Trial Chamber I issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, Mr. Ali Kushayb.
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• Ali Kushayb's surrender and his transfer to the court, after nearly two decades of his alleged crimes, is a strong and sad reminder of the victims of the heinous crimes committed in Sudan's Darfur region, who have long awaited justice. Finally, victims of the situation in Darfur deserve to see justice done.
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• The transfer of the suspect to the court also sends a clear and unambiguous message that no matter how long and difficult the roadblock is, our office will not stop until the alleged perpetrators of the crimes under the Rome Statute are brought to justice. Indeed, while many have lost hope in the situation or actively sought to block progress, we have maintained our focus and perspective, and have never given up or given up on our investigations despite the challenges of cooperation, building the necessary networks and partnerships. These efforts were capped by today's results. Our commitment has been and remains constant.
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• Investigations by my office show that Ali Kushayb, a senior militia leader in West Darfur, was alleged to have led between 2003 and 2004 thousands of 'Janjaweed' militia to implement the then-government strategy to combat the rebellion, which led to war crimes and crimes against The alleged humanity in the Darfur region of Sudan.
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• The court will now follow judicial procedures in accordance with the requirements of the Rome Statute with full respect for the suspect's rights and due process, under the supervision and authority of the judges of the court.
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• I also take this occasion to reiterate my call to the Sudanese authorities to ensure concrete justice for the victims in Darfur without undue delay. The remaining five arrest warrants, in the case of Darfur, against Messrs Omar Al-Bashir, Abdul Rahim Hussein, Ahmed Haroun and Abdullah Banda, are still valid. As such, the government of Sudan remains legally obligated to transfer the remaining four suspects to court for trial.
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• Alternatively, under the Rome Statute, Sudan could prove to the court judges that it was conducting an honest investigation of the remaining four suspects and prosecuting them for the same alleged criminal behavior contained in their arrest warrants issued by the court.
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• Pursuant to the principle of complementarity and my mandate as Prosecutor of the Court, I welcome the dialogue with the Government of Sudan to explore all options available to facilitate genuine judicial proceedings against suspects against the background of the situation in Darfur for whom the Court has issued arrest warrants, either in a courtroom in Sudan or in the court in The Hague.
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• I will continue to do everything in my power under the Rome Statute to ensure justice for the victims in the case of Darfur. Ending impunity for atrocity crimes is also essential to achieving lasting peace and security in Darfur.
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• For the victims of atrocity and affected communities in many conflict situations around the world, the International Criminal Court is the last beacon of hope for independent and impartial justice. Today's development is also important in this context, and embodies the resilience, persistence and strength of justice, as well as the critical importance of the International Criminal Court in the global fight against impunity.
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• The ICC Office of the Prosecutor conducts preliminary studies, investigations, and impartial and independent prosecutions of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations into multiple cases within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, specifically in Burundi; Côte d'Ivoire; And Darfur (Sudan); Georgia; Kenya; And Libya; Financially; And Uganda; Central African Republic (two separate cases); The Democratic Republic of the Congo; The People's Republic of Bangladesh / The Republic of the Union of Myanmar; And Afghanistan. The Office is also conducting preliminary case studies in Colombia; Guinea; Iraq / United Kingdom; And Nigeria; The Philippines; Ukraine; And Venezuela, while the situation in Palestine awaits a judicial ruling