In a landmark case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, prosecutors have demanded a life sentence for Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, a senior leader of the notorious Janjaweed militia. Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was convicted last month on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including mass executions, rapes, and the brutal ax murders of two prisoners during the Darfur conflict in 2003-2004. This marks the first ICC conviction related to the Darfur atrocities. Prosecutor Julian Nicholls emphasized the defendant’s active and enthusiastic participation in these crimes, stating, “You literally have an axe murderer before you.” Abd-Al-Rahman, who surrendered in 2020, initially pleaded innocent, claiming mistaken identity, but judges dismissed his defense, citing evidence of his self-identification in a video. His defense team has requested a seven-year sentence, which could see the 76-year-old released within 18 months due to time served. The Darfur conflict, sparked by an insurgency against the Arab-dominated Sudanese government, led to widespread violence, with up to 300,000 deaths and 2.7 million displaced. Former President Omar al-Bashir, also charged by the ICC, remains unextradited. The sentencing hearing coincides with renewed violence in Sudan, where clashes between the military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced 12 million people since 2023.
ICC prosecutors seek life sentence for Janjaweed leader convicted of Darfur crimes
