Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a top figure of the feared Sudanese Janjaweed militia for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the devastating conflict in Darfur over two decades ago. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd–Al-Rahman, who was convicted in October of 27 counts of such offenses, including giving orders for mass executions and bludgeoning two prisoners to death with an ax in 2003-2004, faced prosecutors seeking a life term at a previous hearing.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Julian Nicholls emphasized that Abd-Al-Rahman committed the crimes deliberately and energetically. The 76-year-old remained composed as Presiding Judge Joanna Korner delivered the sentence, which included individual terms ranging from eight to 20 years for each conviction before a cumulative sentence of 20 years was imposed.
The prosecution office of the ICC indicated that they would review the sentencing decision to determine if further steps, such as appealing for a life sentence, would be pursued. The office justified seeking a life term due to the severe nature of the crimes committed by Abd-Al-Rahman, involving murders, rapes, torture, and persecution inflicted with extreme brutality, affecting a significant number of victims, including children and women subjected to rape.
Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, is the first individual to be found guilty by the ICC for atrocities in Darfur, where the court concluded that the Janjaweed’s actions were part of a government strategy to suppress a rebellion. Despite his crimes occurring more than twenty years ago, ongoing violence persists in Darfur amid civil unrest within Sudan. Prosecutors from the ICC are actively collecting evidence from recent violent incidents in the region for potential future legal actions.
Judge Korner highlighted that ICC sentences serve as a deterrent against future crimes, particularly crucial given the current situation in Sudan.
