The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) strongly denounce the recent release from detention by Sudanese authorities of Ali Muhammad Al Abd-Al-Rahan (alias Ali Kushayb), due to “lack of evidence against him”, according to Sudan’s foreign minister Lam Akol, who issued a press statement on this issue yesterday.

Ali Kushayb, Janjaweed militia leader, is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 27 April 2007 for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in 2003 and 2004 [1].

“The release of Ali Kushayb, facing 51 counts of murder, rape, acts of torture and other serious crimes committed against the civilian population, following the appointment of Ahmed Haroun, the other war crimes suspect wanted by the ICC, as the head of a committee to investigate human rights violations in Sudan [2], is an insult to victims, show no real commitment of the Sudanese government to justice and seriously undermine the chances of ending impunity for crimes committed in Darfur and bring sustainable peace to the region”, declared Mrs. Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH President.

FIDH and SOAT:

 urge the Government of Sudan to fully cooperate with the ICC by arresting and handing over Ali Kushayb and Ahmad Haroun, both suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity;

 call upon the international community, and in particular the UN Security Council who referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, and the 105 States parties to the ICC Statute, to publicly condemn this lack of cooperation and remind the need and importance of the execution of ICC arrest warrants for victims who want truth, justice and reparation for the terrible crimes they have suffered.