Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on the International Criminal Court's investigation into Darfur

Sudan

On 27 February the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague applied to the Pre-Trial Chamber to issue summonses to appear against Ahmad Muhammad Harun, former Minister of State for the Interior of the Government of Sudan, and Ali Kushayb, a Militia leader. The Prosecutor, after completing the necessary investigative steps, has concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe that these two individuals bear criminal responsibility in relation to 51 counts of alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes, including persecution, torture, murder and rape committed in Darfur in 2003 and 2004.

The EU welcomes the fact that an independent investigation has been conducted in Darfur following the adoption by the Security Council of Resolution 1593 on 31 March 2005, which referred the situation in the Darfur region to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

The EU calls on all parties concerned, in particular the Government of Sujdan, to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court and to comply with any decision the Pre-Trial Chamber may take.

The EU reiterates the Common Position of 16 June 2003 in which the Council held that the International Criminal Court was an essential means of promoting respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, thus contributing to freedom, security, justice and the rule of law as well as contributing to the preservation of peace and the strengthening of international security.

The EU recalls the fundamental principle contained in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished. Putting an end to impunity for the perpetrators of theses crimes contributes to the prevention of such crimes.

March 1, 2007

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