Sudan and South Sudan - International Criminal Court Prosecutor briefs Security Council

Briefing by Ms. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan.

Security Council, 8691st meeting


The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, today (18 Dec) told the Security Council that Sudan must ensure that the five ICC suspects, including former President Omar Al Bashir “are brought to justice without undue delay, either in a courtroom in Sudan or in The Hague.”

Bensouda said, “the Office is not aware of any concrete information suggesting that the suspects in the Darfur situation are currently subject to domestic investigation or prosecution for the same criminal conduct alleged in the relevant ICC arrest warrants” and added that “unless and until Sudan can demonstrate to ICC judges that it is willing and able to genuinely investigate and prosecute the Darfur suspects for the crimes alleged in their respective arrest warrants, then these cases will remain admissible before the ICC.”

The ICC prosecutor said, “Sudan has a legal duty to cooperate with my Office” and “cooperation with the ICC would clearly demonstrate to this Council and the international community at large that Sudan is committed to achieving justice for the victims in the Darfur situation, and that it has followed through on its declared commitments and assurances with visible and practical steps.”