Omar al-Bashir

Failures to arrest al-Bashir 

Since the ICC issued his arrest warrants, al-Bashir has visited several UN and ICC member states without arrest, despite pressure from the ICC, other states, international organizations and civil society. Nevertheless, he has become increasingly isolated in the international arena with his international travel greatly curtailed by the threat of legal action, often instigated by national civil society groups. 

NGOs in several countries, including South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Djibouti, Malawi, India and Indonesia have called on their governments to uphold their obligations—as members of the ICC, the UN, or both—to turn away or arrest al-Bashir. 

There have been several active attempts to oblige national authorities to arrest al-Bashir, including in Angola, Mali, Kenya, South African, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Zambia, Rwanda and Chad. 

ICC judges, meanwhile, have referred instances of non-cooperation by states to the Assembly of States Parties as well as the UN Security Council. However, no further action has been taken by either body.  The UN Security Council, having referred the situation to the ICC, has consistently failed to ensure al-Bashir’s arrest.