Africa

Africa

Libya slammed by rights group over Sudan president visit

07 January 2012 18:13 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA.A visit to Libya on Saturday by Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on genocide charges, has been criticized by a leading rights group, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

Bashir â€œwas given a warm welcome by the head of Libyaâ€™s National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, and members of the interim government,â€ the online version of the English-language paper The Tripoli Post reported. It also noted that the visit was the first by Bashir to Libya â€œsince the overthrow of the dictatorial regime of Muammar Gaddafi.â€

"Welcoming Bashir ... raises questions about the NTC’s stated commitment to human rights and the rule of law," Richard Dicker, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

"Following the end of decades of brutal rule in Libya, it is disturbing if Tripoli hosts a head of state on the run from international arrest warrants for grave human rights violations."

Bashir supported last yearâ€™s revolt against Gaddafi.

Relations between Gaddafi-era Libya and Sudan were tense after Sudan accused the late Libyan leader of supporting rebels in Darfur.

â€œIn 2010, the Gaddafi regime offered sanctuary to Darfur rebel chief Ibrahim Khalil, who was killed in Sudan last month after his return to the country,â€ The Tripoli Post said.

Libya is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court charter, and is under no legal obligation to arrest Bashir.