UN Fact-Finding Mission Urges Expanded Arms Embargo and ICC Jurisdiction in Sudan
In response to a long list of human rights violations committed during the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a United Nations fact-finding mission has called on the international community to extend both the arms embargo and the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to cover the entire country. The mission’s initial report, released today, details numerous violations, including sexual assault, indiscriminate attacks on civilians, and arbitrary arrests by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). These actions may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The report advocates for extending the current arms embargo, which is presently applied to Darfur, to encompass all of Sudan. This measure aims to disrupt the supply of weapons and funding to the conflicting parties. The mission also issued a warning that entities supplying weapons could be implicated in these severe violations.
In addition to the arms embargo, the report calls for Sudan to surrender all indicted individuals, including former President Omar al-Bashir, and to fully cooperate with the ICC. It recommends expanding the ICC’s jurisdiction, which is currently limited to Darfur, to include the entire nation.
Expert Member Mona Rishmawi stressed, “These findings should serve as a wake-up call to the international community to take decisive action to support survivors, their families, and affected communities, and to hold perpetrators accountable.” She emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to transitional justice, essential for ensuring accountability and addressing the root causes of the conflict.
The mission’s report also highlighted the challenges in achieving accountability at the domestic level, citing the Sudanese authorities’ lack of willingness and objectivity. As a result, it called for the establishment of an independent international court system to work alongside the ICC.
The measures proposed aim to halt the flow of weapons exacerbating the conflict and to ensure that those responsible for atrocities are brought to justice, thereby promoting a more stable and accountable future for Sudan.
Following the outbreak of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, 2023, the United Nations Human Rights Council established the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan in October 2023. Led by Mohamed Chande Othman, with Joy Ngozi Ezeilo and Mona Rishmawi, the mission is tasked with investigating allegations of crimes against refugees and breaches of international humanitarian law by all parties involved. Its goal is to determine the specifics, circumstances, and underlying causes of these violations.
Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the mission has a one-year mandate to collect and evaluate evidence for potential court cases, identify responsible parties, and recommend measures to end impunity, ensure accountability, and facilitate victims’ access to justice.
Following the release of its initial report in September 2024, there have been urgent calls for enhanced accountability mechanisms and better protection for civilians. The report documented numerous severe human rights abuses and potential war crimes.
The UN fact-finding mission’s report underscores the urgent need for expanded international intervention and accountability in Sudan. The recommended measures aim to address severe human rights violations and foster a more stable and just environment for affected communities.
