ICC gives S/Africa more time to explain Bashir arrest failure

The International Criminal Court said Thursday it will give South Africa more time to explain why it defied an order to arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, extending the deadline until a Pretoria court finalises the case. The Hague-based court’s decision comes after it originally gave Pretoria until October 5 to defend its failure to detain […]

The International Criminal Court said Thursday it will give South Africa more time to explain why it defied an order to arrest Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, extending the deadline until a Pretoria court finalises the case.
The Hague-based court’s decision comes after it originally gave Pretoria until October 5 to defend its failure to detain Bashir when he landed in the country in June to attend an African Union summit.
“The Chamber grants South Africa’s request for an extension of the time-limit to submit its views on the events surrounding Omar al-Bashir’s visit… until such time as the currently ongoing relevant judicial proceedings before the courts of South Africa are finalised,” the ICC said.
Bashir is wanted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed against civilians in Sudan’s vast Darfur region, where the UN says some 300,000 people were killed and 2.5 million others forced to flee their homes in a deadly conflict.
Khartoum puts the death toll at 10,000.