Bashir case highlighted in Amnesty report
by Agency Staff,
2016-02-25 07:05:49.0
AMNESTY International condemned on Wednesday countries in southern Africa for treating activists as "criminals" while hosting leaders, such as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, accused of genocide.
"While activists in Angola, Swaziland and Zimbabwe were rounded up on the streets, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir was permitted to travel unhindered to the African Union conference in SA ," the agency said in its annual report.
Mr Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes. SA did not arrest him during the African Union summit in Johannesburg last June on the grounds that he had immunity.
"Something is clearly wrong when human rights defenders are treated like criminals, while those wanted by the ICC for genocide are treated like dignitaries," it said.
During their summit last month in Addis Ababa, African leaders backed a Kenyan proposal urging a pullout from the ICC on the grounds that it unfairly targeted the continent.
But Amnesty’s research director for Africa, Netsanet Belay, said the "threats of withdrawing will only undermine justice for victims".
He said African countries were "founding fathers" of the court. "SA can’t afford to betray those victims."
Amnesty International also deplored rights violations in many southern African countries, notably Zimbabwe and Angola. "In Zimbabwe, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly continued to be severely restricted," said Muleya Mwananyanda, the agency’s deputy director in Southern Africa.
AFP
Omar al-Bashir. Picture: REUTERS/SIPHIWE SIBEKO
AMNESTY International condemned on Wednesday countries in southern Africa for treating activists as "criminals" while hosting leaders, such as Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, accused of genocide.
"While activists in Angola, Swaziland and Zimbabwe were rounded up on the streets, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir was permitted to travel unhindered to the African Union conference in SA ," the agency said in its annual report.
Mr Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes. SA did not arrest him during the African Union summit in Johannesburg last June on the grounds that he had immunity.
"Something is clearly wrong when human rights defenders are treated like criminals, while those wanted by the ICC for genocide are treated like dignitaries," it said.
During their summit last month in Addis Ababa, African leaders backed a Kenyan proposal urging a pullout from the ICC on the grounds that it unfairly targeted the continent.
But Amnesty’s research director for Africa, Netsanet Belay, said the "threats of withdrawing will only undermine justice for victims".
He said African countries were "founding fathers" of the court. "SA can’t afford to betray those victims."
Amnesty International also deplored rights violations in many southern African countries, notably Zimbabwe and Angola. "In Zimbabwe, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly continued to be severely restricted," said Muleya Mwananyanda, the agency’s deputy director in Southern Africa.
AFP
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