Arab League slams ICC move against Sudan president

Published July 19th, 2008 - 08:32 GMT

The Arab League on Saturday attacked the International Criminal Court's "unbalanced" prosecutor for seeking the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, saying Sudan's courts should judge alleged Darfur war crimes. Arab foreign ministers noted "the mandate of Sudan's civil judiciary in achieving justice," in a resolution following crisis talks in Cairo over how to deal with ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo's request for Beshir to be arrested on genocide charges.

 

According to AFP, the resolution also slammed Moreno-Ocampo's "unbalanced stance" for asking ICC judges to issue a warrant for Beshir's arrest, which, if granted, would be the first ever issued by The Hague-based court against a sitting head of state.

 

Some of the Arab League's 22-members have previously criticised Moreno-Ocampo's decision, saying it threatens peace prospects in Darfur.