SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES VOLUNTARY COURT APPEARANCE BY SUDAN WAR CRIMES INDICTEE

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon:

The Secretary-General takes note of the voluntary appearance of Mr. Bahr Idriss Abu Garda before the International Criminal Court on 18 May 2009, in response to charges of war crimes committed on 29 September 2007 at the Haskanita base of the African Union Mission in Sudan.  The Secretary-General commends the Court’s efforts to ensure accountability for crimes against peacekeepers and emphasizes that the United Nations respects the independence of the Court and its judicial process.

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For information media • not an official record