JURIST - Paper Chase: Sudan unhappy with UN ICC resolution

[JURIST] Sudan [government website] Friday announced its displeasure with UN Security Council Resolution 1593 [official text] adopted late Thursday evening [JURIST report] that authorized the International Criminal Court [official website] to investigate and prosecute war crimes violations in Sudan. Sudan Foreign Affairs Minister Najeeb al-Kheir Abdul Wahab called the resolution "unfair, ill-advised and narrow-minded" and said it would frustrate Sudan's attempt to provide reconciliatory rather than retributive justice. Wahab refused to comment on whether Sudan would comply with the resolution, stating that Sudan would study the resolution and take "appropriate action." Both of the major rebel groups in the Darfur region have already announced their willingness to accept the jurisdiction of the court and submit any of their members that are charged with war crimes. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Sudan. Read the official ICC press release on the Sudan referral. The Sudan Tribune has local coverage.

1:45 PM ET - ICC prosecutors began gathering evidence Friday on war crimes in Darfur and over 20 investigators will soon fly to Sudan to prepare charges against alleged perpetrators of human rights violations. ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour to turn over the potential evidence collected by the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur [Commission report, PDF] while assessing the situation in Darfur. Moreno-Ocampo must decide whether the Darfur case meets the court's jurisdictional requirements before launching a formal investigation. AP has more.

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