ANCA WELCOMES ICC DECISION TO ISSUE ARREST WARRANT FOR SUDANESE PRESIDENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2009 13:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue
an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for crimes
against humanity and war crimes, while at the same time warning about
Turkey’s likely efforts to obstruct efforts to bring him to justice,
ANCA Communications Director Elizabeth Chouljian told PanARMENIAN.Net

"The ICC decision to issue a warrant for Sudan’s Omar Hassan al-Bashir
sends a clear message to genocide perpetrators and deniers that crimes
against humanity will be prosecuted and punished," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to swift action to bring
him to justice and call upon the international community to forcefully
stand up against those countries, such as Turkey, that appear set to
obstruct this landmark legal effort to end the cycle of genocide."

Last week, the ANCA circulated three policy memos to Capitol Hill
offices, outlining for legislators how the Turkey-Sudan "axis of
genocide" relationship is materially undermining international efforts
to isolate Khartoum and end its genocide against the people Darfur.

The ICC issued its arrest warrant today, citing five charges of crimes
against humanity and two of war crimes including murder, extermination,
torture and rape. ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo noted,
"The reality now is that Omar al-Bashir is attacking his own citizens
who he is supposed to protect as leader of the country. The solution
for Sudan has to start with arresting Omar al-Bashir."