Sudan lauds Russia’s snub of ICC, which seeks its president

KHARTOUM, Sudan – Sudan has welcomed Russia’s snub of the International Criminal Court, which seeks the arrest of President Omar al-Bashir on war crimes charges related to atrocities committed in Darfur.

Ghareb Khidir, spokesman for Sudan’s foreign ministry, said on Thursday the Russian gesture gives “strong support to the African position against the ICC,” describing the court as a “total failure.”

Three African nations announced plans to withdraw and Russia, which is not an ICC member, snubbed the ICC with President Vladimir Putin signing Wednesday a symbolic decree to withdraw from the court.

Khidir says he hopes the departures of South Africa, Burundi and Gambia from the ICC and Putin’s gesture would prompt others to withdraw. Russia is not an ICC member since Moscow never ratified the Rome Statute that created the court.

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