The trial of Ali Mohammad Ali Abdelrahman, widely known as Ali Kushayb, has entered its concluding phase at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Kushayb stands accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the 2003-2004 civil war in Sudan’s Darfur region, a conflict that claimed an estimated 300,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million people, according to UN reports.
On December 11, 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan delivered his closing arguments, urging the judges to convict Kushayb. The prosecutor emphasized the defendant’s central role in the atrocities, stating: “In this case, he was a prominent member of the Janjaweed, a leader, and was actively involved in the commission of the offenses, voluntarily and with enthusiasm.”
This trial marks a significant milestone as the first ICC proceeding against a Sudanese official for crimes committed in Darfur. Kushayb, a former leader of the Janjaweed militia, voluntarily surrendered to the ICC in 2020.
Wearing a light gray suit with a red and black tie, Kushayb listened intently to the prosecutor’s submissions. He is expected to address the court on Friday, December 13, as the hearings conclude.
Kushayb’s trial is part of broader efforts to address crimes committed under Sudan’s former regime, led by Omar al-Bashir from 1989 to 2019. Al-Bashir and two other senior officials have also been indicted by the ICC for their roles in the Darfur conflict. However, they remain fugitives, with their cases yet to proceed.
The ICC’s verdict in Kushayb’s case is highly anticipated as a critical step toward justice for the victims of Darfur and accountability for war crimes in Sudan.