Sudan: ICC Names First War Crimes Suspects in Darfur

In an important step toward justice for the victims of ethnic cleansing in Darfur, on February 27, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo named Ahmed Haroun and Ali Kosheib, the first suspects accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He submitted evidence of their alleged crimes for consideration by the ICC pre-trial judges, who are likely to subsequently issue summonses for the suspects’ appearance in court. Human Rights Watch played a vital role in the UN Security Council’s decision to refer the situation in Darfur to the ICC in March 2005 and we have continued to provide regular consultations to the ICC based on our nearly three years of research on the conflict in Darfur. The ICC’s movement towards prosecuting these cases is the first step towards ending the impunity that perpetrators of war crimes in Darfur and elsewhere around the world have too long enjoyed.