Sudan plans to send ex-president to The Hague over Darfur genocide charges

Omar al-Bashir
(Image credit: ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP via Getty Images)

In a major development for both Sudan and the International Criminal Court, Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir appears to be headed to The Hague.

During peace talks between Sudan's government and rebel groups in the country's Darfur region, the former agreed al-Bashir will be sent to The Hague where he'll face the ICC on charges related to genocide and war crimes in Darfur in 2003. The conflict in the region killed around 300,000 people. The news could be a game changer for everyone involved, especially as Sudan tries to usher in a new era of political reform following months of anti-government protests last year.

The 76-year-old al-Bashir was removed from power last year and sentenced to two years in a social reform facility for corruption because people over 70 can't serve jail terms in Sudan. He's also been charged with killing protesters during the demonstrations that led to his ouster, though the ICC would be focusing on the Darfur-related charges if and when al-Bashir is tried.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"Justice cannot be achieved if we don't heal the wounds," Sudanese government spokesman Mohhamed Hassan Eltaish said. Read more at BBC.

Explore More
Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.