Chad Refuses to Arrest Sudanese President Al-Bashir

The Sudanese President al-Bashir sparked controversy when he flew to N'Djamena, Chad this week to attend a meeting of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.

President al-Bashir is currently sought by the ICC for alleged counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in the Darfur region of Sudan. The visit to Chad marks the first occasion on which a person subject to an ICC arrest warrant has been invited onto the territory of an ICC State Party.

The US State Department has recognized that the growing relations between Chad and Sudan enhance regional peace, but reminded Chad “that it has responsibilities as a signatory under the Rome Statute and needs to continue to fulfill its obligations to the ICC.”

The ICC has stated that, under the terms of the Rome Statute, Chad has an international obligation to execute arrest warrants issued by the ICC. Photo Credit: Stratfor