Press Release

FEBRUARY 20, 2005

Government officials and militia suspects must be tried before international court

The Sudanese minister of justice announced that his government’s justice system “is well-prepared to put to trial the suspects identified by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Darfur.” The Commission’s recommendations, however, have been officially endorsed by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights “to be referred to the International Criminal Court.”

As previously indicated by the Organization’s reports on Darfur, as well as the other regions of the country, the criminal justice of the Sudan is a mal-functioning system that is practically disabled by a legal structure that has been deeply antagonistic to international human rights norms, the due process of justice, and the proper rule of law.

Prior to the Commission’s recommendations, the First Vice President ‘Ali Osman Taha insistently announced his government’s biased commitment “to protect the human rights of Janjaweed leaders in accordance with the law,” in spite of the government’s failure to ensure the deserved safety, humanitarian affairs, social well-fare, legal compensation for the grievous losses of lives and property, and the other human rights of the victimized population of Darfur. Likewise, the Judge Yousif fact-finding committee on the situation of Darfur (which under tight governmental control failed to bring to justice the government officials and militia suspects to fair trial) constitutes another reason why the Sudan Government is virtually unable to deal with the suspects who might be legally accused of crimes against humanity or even acts of genocide.

The Sudan Human Rights Organization strongly supports the international determination to carry out the Commission’s recommendations promptly.

Equally importantly, the Organization requires the Sudanese government to comply with the international will, without hesitation.

SHRO-Cairo calls upon the peace partners and the opposition groups of the Sudan, side-by-side with the International Community, to put the strongest pressure on the government to:

1. End the State of Emergency Law in the whole country;

2. Expedite peace negotiations with the Darfur rebels;

3. Guarantee free access to the national and the international relief efforts to stop the escalated famine in Darfur; and

4. Convene a National Constitutional Conference, including all political parties and civil society groups, to decide on the