Arrest Now! Urge U.S. Support for the International Criminal Court's Darfur Cases Amnesty International USA

Arrest Now! Urge U.S. Support for the International Criminal Court's Darfur Cases

On March 4, 2009, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it had issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al Bashir on seven charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes. It is the first time the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for a sitting head of state.

Although the United States, which has still not ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC, has declared its support for the ICC's proceedings in Darfur and has called President al Bashir a "fugitive from justice under the warrant issued by the ICC," the US has not declared that it would arrest al Bashir if he was found on US territory nor that it would offer its help to the ICC for the execution of the arrest warrant.

Act now to urge the US government to provide much needed support to the ICC's proceedings in Darfur by ratifying the Rome Statute and pledging to arrest President al Bashir.

Learn more »

Download the printable version PDF | RTF

Take Action

Message Recipients

Barack Obama - President

Susan Rice - US Representative to the United Nations

Review the Message

Subject:*

Dear (recipient name),

I am writing to you today to urge you to reaffirm the US government’s support for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings regarding Darfur. Important steps toward this end include sharing evidence and information with the ICC relevant to its investigation of the situation in Darfur; pressing allies to cooperate in securing the arrest of President Omar al Bashir and others indicted in connection with the crimes committed in Darfur; declaring that the U.S. government would arrest al Bashir if he were to be found on U.S. soil; and being a consistently strong and supportive voice in Security Council matters pertaining to the Court.

I also ask that you work through the UN Security Council and in collaboration with the Assembly of the African Union and with individual African Union member states to ensure that State parties to the Rome Statute respect their obligations to arrest and surrender President al Bashir to the ICC.

I commend you for your decision to send a delegation to the Assembly of State Parties and hope that you will participate in the 2010 Review Conference. I urge you to continue to demonstrate leadership in combating impunity for the worst crimes in the world by reaffirming the United States’ signature of the Rome Statute of the ICC, which the USG was instrumental in developing, and to inform the United Nations that you intend to submit the Statute for ratification at an appropriate time.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of these important matters.

You will receive an email confirming that your message was sent. Check the box if you would also like to receive a copy of this letter.

Taken action before? Just enter your email address and click 'GO'. If not, please fill in the registration form below.

Your email address:
Click Submit Button:

Your Information

*Required Fields

First Name*
Last Name*
Email*
Address Line 1*
Address Line 2
City*
State*
ZIP/Postal Code*
Country*
Phone
(xxx xxx xxxx)

Newsletter Subscriptions

Keep me informed
Save Darfur Coalition News and Actions

Click Submit Button: