Africa News

Germany calls for Sudan to respect al-Bashir arrest warrant

Mar 4, 2009, 14:56 GMT

Berlin - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called Wednesday for Sudan to respect the arrest warrant issued against President Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Al-Bashir was charged earlier Wednesday with seven counts - five of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes - over his alleged role in masterminding a counter-insurgency against ethnic groups that oppose his government over some five years to 2008 in Darfur.

'The ICC is the guarantor that serious crimes don't remain unpunished and the victims don't remain unredeemed,' Steinmeier said.

'I therefore challenge Sudan to respect the decision of the ICC and react in a considerate manner,' the foreign minister added.

The Berlin minister also called on Sudan to obey international rules protecting foreign missions and non-governmental organisations present in the country.

Germany's human rights commissioner Guenther Nooke said the ICC had the full support of Germany and its partners in the European Union.

'It is the most important instrument for the reprisal of the most serious human rights infringements, and doesn't stop at acting heads of state,' Nooke said.