The Forces of Freedom and Change, the protest movement that saw the toppling of long-serving Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir says it supports the move to hand over the former president to the International Criminal Court ICC to be tried for war crimes in Darfur.
Al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC in The Hague for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region. He was ousted in April after nationwide protests against his rule.
Addressing the press on Sunday evening, a leader of the umbrella movement Ibrahim Al-Sheikh said the movement is not against handing over of Bashir to the ICC.
“We have no objection in handing over Al Bashir to the ICC. All the members of the Forces of Freedom and Change agree on that,” he said.
Al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan for three decades after seizing power in a coup in 1989, is currently being held in a prison in Khartoum, facing trial on corruption charges.
Al-Sheikh added that once al-Bashir’s trial is completed internally, then he can be transferred to ICC.
Since his ouster, the country has been ruled by a joint civilian-military sovereign council, which includes leaders of the Forces of Freedom and Change. The council is expected to oversee the transition to full civilian rule in the country.
The transitional authorities would need to ratify the ICC's Rome Statute to allow for the transfer of al-Bashir to The Hague.