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Thursday, March 5, 2009

Iran Condemns Warrant for Bashir

The Iranian government condemned the issuance of an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Bashir is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

“Issuance of such an arrest warrant is violation of international laws,” Hassan Qashqavi, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, said today in Tehran. The arrest warrant, Qashqavi claimed, “violates sovereignty and immunity of statesmen worldwide, runs counter to Vienna convention of 1961 and is an unacceptable practice for international community” [Press TV, 5 March].

Bringing criminal charges against a sitting head of state provides precedent for future ICC actions against other leaders vulnerable to similar charges.

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