On the 20th anniversary of the Darfur case referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called once again for comprehensive accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated in Sudan. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region highlights the urgent need for action as conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly, following the onset of the conflict on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. HRW’s appeal underscores that civilians remain imperiled by escalated violence and famine (Human Rights Watch).
The roots of the crisis trace back to March 2005 when the UN Security Council tasked the ICC with investigating alleged crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide that took place during the Darfur civil war starting in July 2002. Crimes of this scale require the mechanisms of international courts as defined under the Rome Statute (UN). To date, the ICC has issued seven arrest warrants, including for the former Sudanese president, Omar Hassan Al-Bashir. However, the institution’s limitations become evident given that it is reliant on international cooperation for enforcing arrests, a cooperation that has often been lacking (ICC).
This lack of cooperation hampers the ICC’s reach, which has proved particularly problematic as the jurisdiction remains restricted to Darfur, while rights abuses occur nationwide. The ICC prosecutor, in January 2025, pledged to issue new arrest warrants related to crimes in West Darfur, emphasizing the necessity for international support to enforce these actions (UN News).
Human Rights Watch urges ICC member states to renew their pledge to sustain the court, advocating for necessary resources and cooperation in arrests. The call is also directed toward Sudan, encouraging it to fully accept ICC jurisdiction within its borders. Furthermore, HRW has implored the European Union to counter the negative implications of US sanctions on the ICC, which threaten to undermine its mission for international justice, through measures like activating a blocking statute (HRW).