Sudanese refugees urge ICC to speed up justice
Refugees in Chad told an International Criminal Court delegation that slow proceedings encourage further violations in Sudan.
Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad's Gaga camp met a visiting International Criminal Court (ICC) delegation on Tuesday, urging the court to accelerate its proceedings. They told the delegation that the court's failure to arrest accused individuals for crimes in Sudan was encouraging perpetrators to commit more violations.
Refugees described the court's proceedings as extremely slow, noting that only one defendant who surrendered himself had been tried so far. The ICC delegation stated that the court has no army to arrest suspects and relies on states for such actions. In July, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nuzhat Shameem Khan reported progress in investigations into crimes in El Geneina and El Fasher.
Khan informed the UN Security Council that witness testimonies confirmed war crimes and crimes against humanity in El Geneina and El Fasher, reinforcing the preliminary assessment of the scale of these crimes. The ICC opened an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur on July 13, 2023, following violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF.
Why it mattersSudanese refugees in eastern Chad are calling for faster International Criminal Court proceedings to deter ongoing violations in their country.