REDRESS statement on Sudanese President and ICC suspect Omar al-Bashir leaving South Africa despite court order

Carla Ferstman, Director of REDRESS, states:

“President Al-Bashir left South Africa today in violation of a South African court order which required officials to watch every point of entry and exit to ensure that he does not leave the country. This perpetuates the impunity that Al-Bashir has enjoyed despite two outstanding arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court. There are many un-answered questions which should be methodically scrutinised, also to avoid any repeat of such a situation. These include: which South African officials are responsible for the contempt of the South African court ruling, and what response the UN Security Council should take to this presumably flagrant failure to comply with an International Criminal Court order, in a matter stemming from a UN Security Council referral. These are not lofty or rhetorical questions but ones which require careful and transparent responses if the rule of law is to prevail in South Africa and if the cooperation regime underpinning the ICC Statute is worth its salt. The victims of the most heinous crimes in Darfur deserve answers, but so do South Africans, so do the Member States of the International Criminal Court and all States that have respect for the United Nations peace and security regime.”

For further information, please contact:

Eva Sanchis, REDRESS Communications Officer, on [email protected]; +44 (0) 207 793 1777 (office) and +44 07857110076 (mobile).

REDRESS is an award-winning human rights organisation based in London which works internationally to combat torture by seeking justice and reparation for torture survivors and their families. REDRESS works with survivors to help restore their dignity and to make torturers accountable. Since it was established in 1992, REDRESS has intervened in a range of leading torture cases in the UK and abroad.