The High Court in Pretoria prevented Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir from leaving South Africa unless an urgent hearing on his arrest application is heard. He had been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged atrocities, including genocide, committed during the Darfur conflict.
In clear violation of these orders the president flew out of South Africa. The president was in South Africa for an African Union Summit and the government was fully aware that being a member of ICC it was under an international obligation to carry out the arrest. South African government has denied any involvement in the escape and adds that it will give court explanations about how Mr. Bashir was allowed to depart in contravention of court orders.
According to UN reports more than 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur conflict and about 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
