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SA High Court orders arrest of ICC Fugitive Omar al-Bashir of Sudan

President Bashir stands accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in the Darfur region of Sudan. In the face of two arrest warrants issued by the ICC, President Bashir has evaded liability, despite the obligation on ICC state parties, like South Africa, to execute the arrest warrant.

“Being an organisation committed to the rule of law, SALC is encouraged by the Court’s order and the independence of the judicial process,” said Kaajal Ramjathan-Keogh, Director of the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), the sole applicants in the case. “The rule of law, however, is only as strong as the government which enforces it. Home Affairs have allowed a fugitive from justice to slip through its fingers, compounding the suffering of the victims of these grave crimes,” said Ramjathan-Keogh.

SALC says that it will wait for the Court to give its reasons in a week and an affidavit which the State Respondents were ordered to file accounting for its failure to enforce the interim order, before taking further action. It is strongly considering pursuing contempt proceedings against the State Respondents.

SALC is grateful for the invaluable support of Advocate Isabel Goodman and its attorney Moray Hathorn of Webber Wentzel in bringing the urgent application.

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