The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) First Trial Chamber announced on Monday that Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as “Kushayb,” has been found guilty on 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Office of the Prosecutor had initially charged Kushayb with 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Bindisi, Mukjar, and Deleig in Darfur between August 2003 and April 2004.
The Chamber stated that evidence presented and discussed during the trial proved beyond reasonable doubt that Kushayb, a senior leader of the Janjaweed militia, was responsible for multiple atrocities.
Kushayb was convicted of murder and torture as both war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as outrages upon personal dignity as a war crime and persecution as a crime against humanity.
According to the judgment, Kushayb was found guilty as a co-perpetrator with Janjaweed and Sudanese government forces in the murder, attempted murder, and torture of at least 200 prisoners and detainees during operations in Mukjar and Deleig. These acts were deemed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The Court said Kushayb had also ordered Janjaweed forces to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity during operations in Bindisi, including attacks on civilians, assaults on personal dignity, looting and destruction of property, and forced displacement—all constituting crimes against humanity.
The Chamber noted that four charges were not upheld because the underlying criminal acts were already covered under other charges for which Kushayb was convicted.
A sentence will be issued at a later date.
The Trial Chamber was composed of Judge Joanna Korner (Presiding), Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou, and Judge Althea Violet Alexis-Windsor.
