ICC requests observations from Kenya on the enforcement of warrants of arrest against Omar Al Bashir

 Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested on Monday the Republic of Kenya to inform the Chamber about any problem which would impede or prevent the arrest and surrender of Omar Al Bashir.
The request ask the information to be sent no later than 29 October. 

This bid occurs while the Sudanese President, Omar Al Bashir, is likely to visit Kenya on 30 October, 2010.

The Chamber has been seized on a notification of the Prosecutor informing the Judges of the possibility that Omar Al Bashir might travel to Kenya for an Inter-governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) summit on 30 October.

It then renewed its request to the Republic of Kenya to take any necessary measure to ensure that the President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir, in the event that he travels to Kenya, be arrested and surrendered to the Court in accordance with its obligations as a State Party to the Rome Statute since 1 June, 2005.

On 27 August, Pre-Trial Chamber I already had issued two decisions informing the Security Council of the United Nations and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute about Omar Al Bashir’s visits to the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Chad, ‘in order for them to take any measure they may deem appropriate’.

And on 4 March, 2009, Pre-Trial Chamber I issued a first warrant of arrest against Mr Al Bashir. It is considering that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the suspect is criminally responsible for five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes. 

A second warrant of arrest was finally issued against Mr Al Bashir on 12 July, 2010, for three counts of genocide.