Sudan: Legal Expert Calls for Activating International Litigation Mechanisms to Hold Militia and Supporters Accountable

What the report says

A Sudanese legal expert, Dr. Mohamed Al-Zain, has called for stronger use of international legal mechanisms to pursue accountability for alleged abuses committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and those he says supported them. Speaking at a Ministry of Culture, Information, Tourism and Antiquities briefing in Omdurman, organized by the Sudan News Agency, he argued that the violence since the outbreak of war on 15 April 2023 should be treated as international crimes rather than an ordinary armed dispute.

Al-Zain said the reported acts include attacks on civilians, looting, rape, and destruction of property and infrastructure. He also linked violations in Darfur, including in El-Fashir and El-Geneina, to the legal definition of genocide, while describing the broader conflict as an assault on the Sudanese state, its people, and national resources. His remarks reflected the position of a speaker at the conference and should be understood as allegations and legal interpretation, not a court ruling.

He distinguished between the International Court of Justice, which hears disputes between states, and the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes individuals for international crimes. Al-Zain said a complaint was submitted to the ICC in January 2024 in cooperation with legal professionals, and he urged coordination among the state, civil society, lawyers, and the media to support justice efforts. The comments underscore the continuing push by Sudanese advocates to document alleged wartime abuses and seek international scrutiny.