Statement of Stephen N. Zack, President, American Bar Association Re: Kenya’s Refusal to Arrest Visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for War Crimes

The American Bar Association is deeply disappointed that, during Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s recent travel to Kenya, Kenyan authorities declined to arrest al-Bashir pursuant to the International Criminal Court indictment charging him with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC statute, to which Kenya is a signatory, obligates each signatory to arrest court-indicted persons within its jurisdiction and surrender them to the appropriate authorities for trials consistent with applicable international standards. The ABA urges Kenya and all other ICC signatories, in furtherance of the rule of law, to comply fully with this obligation. The ABA once again also calls upon the government of the United States to accede to the ICC statute as a statement of support for the rule of law worldwide.”

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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Sept. 8, 2010