UN To Sanction South Africa Over Bashir’s Escape

President Omar al-Bashir was received to a heroes welcome in Sudan after evading arrest in South Africa. The ICC has long issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese leader who is accused of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide during the Darfur conflict, according to the BBC. 

South Africa, as a member of the International Criminal Court was expected to enforce the longstanding arrest warrant for President Bashir, but failed to do so.


Bashir who was visiting Johannesburg for an African Union (AU) summit was allowed to leave the country on Monday, June 16 in spite of a court order prohibiting him from leaving.
In reaction, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the ICC to refer South Africa to the UN Security Council for appropriate sanctions.

SERAP in a statement according to Vanguard said if : it is true that the government of South Africa has blatantly disregarded the process of its own court to free international fugitive from justice, then there should be consequences otherwise the authority and credibility of the ICC and the entire regime of international justice will be seriously undermined.”

SERAP criticised the South African authorities for falsely claiming that President al-Bashir had gone shopping when they knew that he was already on his way back to Khartoum.

It berated the conduct of the South African government for having exposed the Judiciary to ridicule and disrespect.

SERAP urged the ICC to consider possible suspension or expulsion of South Africa from the Rome Statute.

The South Africa’s ruling party has  however reacted furiously to the accusations leveled against it by accusing the International Criminal Court (ICC) of targeting Africans. It has also questioned the usefulness of the ICC.