Human Rights First Calls for End to “Cycle of Impunity”

Washington, DC This week, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court reversed a March 2009 decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber not to issue a warrant of arrest for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in respect of the charge of genocide. The Appeals Chamber directed the Pre-Trial Chamber to decide anew whether or not the arrest warrant should be extended to cover the charge of genocide. Following that decision, Human Rights First President and CEO Elisa Massimino issued the following statement:

“Whether or not the Court actually charges Bashir with genocide when it rules several months from now, there is an urgent need to break the cycle of impunity that has encouraged ongoing gross violations of human rights and the international arms embargo in Sudan.  In order to end these violations, states must work together to bring greater pressure to bear on the belligerents in Sudan as well as those countries and private parties that enable their atrocities. In particular those members of the international community that sell arms to the Government of Sudan must suspend sales in recognition of the gravity of all of the charges against al-Bashir. Charged with genocide or not, as long as al-Bashir is in power, arming the Government of Sudan amounts to arming an indicted war criminal.”