Rwanda: Kagame joins ICC boycotters

By on December 21, 2017

President Paul Kagame Wednesday from Khartoum criticized the International Criminal Court ( ICC) arguing that African heads of states have been victims of The Hague-based court.
The Rwandan leader who is also chairman of the African Union (AU) joined his Sudanese counterpart Omar al-Bashir in the condemnation of the court.
“We have also talked about the International Criminal Court, and I can say our opposition has been very clear for us,” he said at a joint press conference with his host, President Omar al-Bashir.
“So we look for what we need to do and what we need for Africa in order to be independent and advance our position not to be always a victim of this international court,” he added.
President Kagame started Wednesday a two-day visit to Sudan.
Several African leaders have criticized ICC of being biased. Two former African heads of states have been arrested and tried by the court.
Former Liberian strong man Charles Taylor was handed 50-year jail sentence in 2011 for his role in atrocities committed in Sierra Leone during the country’s civil war in 1990s.
Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has been since 2016 also facing trial in the court after being accused of four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, persecution and other inhumane acts.
The crimes were allegedly committed during post-electoral violence in Ivory Coast between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011 when Gbagbo refused to accept defeat by rival Alassane Ouattara.
Host President called on AU members to join the boycott of the court.
“Sudan is inviting its brotherly African countries to implement the decisions of the AU summit, particularly the withdrawal from the ICC membership, if it failed to respond to the African demands,” al-Bashir said.
ICC issued two international arrest warrants 2009 and 2010 against the Sudanese leader for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide committed in Darfur.
Burundi in October became the first country to quit the ICC arguing that the 15-year old jurisdiction is a political instrument and weapon used by the west to enslave” other states.

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