13.02.12 - ICC/AU - AFRICAN UNION TO REQUEST ADVICE FROM THE ICJ REGARDING AL-BASHIR

13 February 2012 By

The Hague, February 13, 2012 (FH) - At the summit of the African Union held on January 29-30 in Addis Ababa, African Heads of States and Heads of Government decided to request "an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the immunities of state officials under international law".

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The African Union claims that the ICC statute does not allow the tribunal to remove "an immunity which international law grants to the officials of States that are not parties to the Rome Statute".

ICC issued international arrest warrants against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2009 and 2011 for crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur.

According to the AU, its members should not implement these warrants. "By receiving President Bashir, the Republic of Malawi, like Djibouti, Chad and Kenya before her, were implementing various AU Assembly Decisions on non-cooperation with the ICC on the arrest and surrender of President Omar Hassan Al Bashir of The Sudan" read the text.

SM/GF