Hiiraan Online
3/29/2024
Today from Hiiraan Online:
Home
Somali Map
Sports
Opinion
RSS
Somali Music
Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
advertisements
South Africa asks ICC for more time to explain non-arrest of Bashir
Saturday October 10, 2015
File: Sudan president Omar al-bashir
advertisements
The government has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) for more time to explain why it allowed Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to evade an arrest warrant and leave the country when he visited in June.
Bashir is accused of masterminding genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes during Sudan's Darfur conflict and is wanted by the Hague-based tribunal, which issued a warrant for his arrest in 2009.
As an ICC signatory, South Africa is obliged to implement warrants from the court. But when Bashir visited for an African Union summit, the government refused to arrest him, and even allowed him to leave the country in violation of a domestic court order.
In a subsequent ruling, the High Court made clear that Pretoria was under legal obligation to exercise the warrant. ICC judges last month asked South Africa for an explanation.
However, the government, which has argued that Bashir enjoyed diplomatic immunity during his visit, said on Monday it needed more time to assess the legality of its position because it felt the ICC had not adhered to the "principles of justice".
"The request was made with a view to assess whether South Africa was in breach of its obligations to cooperate with the Court," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
South Africa said it would approach the political body of the ICC for clarity on how the immunity of serving heads of state that are not parties to the ICC's Rome Statute - such as Sudan - should be handled.
The failure to detain Bashir was a blow to the ICC, which has come under criticism from African states for what they see as its disproportionate focus on the continent in bringing its prosecutions.
Suicide bombings kill 95 people at Ankara peace rally
- AP
Djibouti President withdraws from UK court appearance
- Ghana News Agency
Somali parliament revisits impeachment motion against the president
- HOL
After decades of war, Somalia to start property taxations
- HOL
Puntland Oil Agency Rejects UN's Proposal of Somali Moratorium
- Bloomberg
Saudi air raids on Yemen leave 12 Somalis dead
- Presstv
PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Why I fear for Nadiya now she's a celebrity
- Dailymail
Africa being left out of climate aid: development bank
- AFP
Uganda, Kenya Opposition leaders are all 'losers'
- The star
Job Bias Targets French Muslims: Study
- Onislam
Somalia’s war on Islamists threatened by pay dispute
- New Europe
Peter Dutton addresses Somali refugee abortion case
- Yahoo News
Study Projects Warmer, Drier Horn of Africa
- VOA
Top Iranian Commander Killed in Syria
- VOA
Somali Community Launches LPFM Station in Minneapolis
- Radio World
Somali Organization Urges Caution Ahead Of Nationwide Anti-Muslim Rallies
- CBS Minnesota
Home
Email