Accused of leading a horrific genocide in Darfur, Omar al-Bashir has escaped arrest for 6 years. But today, a South African court could finally bring him to justice. Click now to call on South Africa to arrest al-Bashir, bring him to trial, and finally give Darfur's victims what they deserve -- we may not get another chance to catch him:
| Dear friends, Sudan's army and militia terrorized the population of Darfur for years. They murdered the men. They raped girls in front of their parents. And they've escaped justice. Until now.Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir oversaw it all and is one of the world's most wanted men, charged with a horrific genocide. But for 6 years no one has succeeded in locking him up. Now is our chance -- he's in South Africa and a court has ordered that he's not allowed to leave until it decides, in just hours, if he should be arrested.
South Africa's ruling ANC party has already protested against arrest and could pressure the court to give in. But a massive outcry can ensure they stay out of it: this is a legal decision, not a political one. South Africa should arrest al-Bashir and either try him for genocide, or send him to the International Criminal Court. Click now and help finally get justice for the people of Darfur: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/bashir_south_africa_loc/?bwQkDab&v=60322 Dear friends, Sudan's army and militia terrorized the population of Darfur for years. They murdered the men. They raped girls in front of their parents. And they've escaped justice. Until now.Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir oversaw it all and is one of the world's most wanted men, charged with a horrific genocide. But for 6 years no one has succeeded in locking him up. Now is our chance -- he's in South Africa and a court has ordered that he's not allowed to leave until it decides, in just hours, if he should be arrested.
South Africa's ruling ANC party has already protested against arrest and could pressure the court to give in. But a massive outcry can ensure they stay out of it: this is a legal decision, not a political one. South Africa should arrest al-Bashir and either try him for genocide, or send him to the International Criminal Court. Click now and help finally get justice for the people of Darfur: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/bashir_south_africa_loc/?bwQkDab&v=60322 Troops under al-Bashir's command in Darfur have spent years attacking and destroying villages, chasing survivors into the dessert, surrounding refugee camps, killing almost 500,000 and uprooting millions of civilians from land they occupied for centuries. When applying for a warrant for his arrest, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said clearly that al-Bashir's "intent was genocide" and that he wanted to erase the history of an entire people. The ICC is still young and because of political maneuvers, al-Bashir has avoided arrest in several countries over the years. Some -- including the ANC -- have criticized the court for focusing on crimes in Africa. But most of the cases at the ICC were brought forward by the countries themselves and Sudan is one of just two cases where the Security Council managed to agree to bring perpetrators to the court. And when it comes to crimes as horrific as those in Darfur, its justice that should matter, not politics.
The law is clear -- South Africa is a member of the ICC and is required to cooperate with the arrest warrant. The ANC already tried to give al-Bashir immunity and political pressure could lead the court to give in, but a massive global outcry could create a media wave strong enough to keep politics out. Click now to show the South African government that the world expects justice: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/bashir_south_africa_loc/?bwQkDab&v=60322 For international law to work, there can't be loopholes for international criminals. For there to be justice, our governments must put aside politics and act in the interests of humanity. Our community can show the way and help ensure that Darfur's victims finally get the justice they deserve. With hope and determination, Danny, Alice, Emma, Mia, Mike, Nic, and the rest of the Avaaz team SOURCES South Africa court blocks Sudan's Bashir from leaving (Al Jazeera), http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/sudan-bashir-travels-africa-icc-warrant-150614045917841.htmlICC Prosecutor presents case against Sudanese President, Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir (ICC), http://icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/situation%20icc%200205/press%20r...South Africa's ANC says International Criminal Court "no longer useful" (Reuters), http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0OU0NY20150614
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