Excerpt: Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir left Nigeria, the spokesman at his embassy said, following demands from human rights activists for his arrest over charges of genocide and war crimes in Darfur. Spokesman Mohammed Moiz said President Al-Bashir left to fulfill another engagement. Mr. Moiz said he left Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, at 3 p.m. July 15, less than 24 hours after he arrived and in the middle of a two-day summit July 16. Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper reported that the Sudanese leader was expected to make a presentation at an African Union summit but failed to show up. “Business as usual is over for this head of state suspected of the most serious crimes committed in Darfur,” said Elise Keppler of New York-based Human Rights Watch. “Al-Bashir faced intense pressure for his arrest from local activists when he tried to visit Nigeria, including court action.” [Arrest Bashir]
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:58:05 +0000