KHARTOUM (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2020) The Sudanese government has come up with several options of cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the prosecution of those accused of crimes in Darfur, including former Sudanese President Omar Bashir, Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari said on Monday.
An ICC delegation has been in Khartoum since Saturday to discuss justice for Darfur crimes with the Sudanese government. The visit is scheduled to run through Wednesday.
"We have discussed several options of cooperation that would meet the expectations of each side in accordance with international law," Abdulbari told reporters following talks with the delegation.
According to the minister, the options include "the extradition of the accused so they can appear before the ICC, the formation of a mixed court or the formation of a special tribunal." The options are still under consideration, he added.
In 2009, Bashir became the first-ever sitting head of state to be issued an arrest warrant by the ICC. Two arrest warrants tie him to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the 2003 conflict in Darfur.
A civil conflict began in the western Sudanese state of Darfur in February of 2003, when rebel groups launched a campaign to overthrow Bashir's government. Different sources estimate the death toll from the Darfur conflict to be between 300,000 and 500,000 people. More than 2.5 million people were displaced as a result of the conflict.
