Hague, July 12, 2010 (SSNA) — Pre-trial chamber at the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a second round of arrest warrant on Monday for Omar Hassan al-Bashir on three counts of genocide.
The court charged the Sudanese president on the same day the African Union/United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) said that at least 221 people have died in fighting and other violence-related incidents in Darfur in June.
"The Chamber finds that there is sufficient evidence to establish reasonable grounds to believe that [al-Bashir] is criminally responsible … for those charges of genocide," a court decision published on its website said.
In 2008, ICC prosecutors accused the Sudanese president of masterminding a campaign of genocide in Darfur.
Omar Hassan al-Bashir is already a wanted man.
In March 2009, the Hague-based ICC issued first arrest warrant for him on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, throwing out genocide charges citing insufficient evidences.
Omar al-Bashir consistently denied all the charges saying it is a western plot to get rid of him and call the charges “lies”.
In February 2010, ICC gave green light to prosecutors to charge Bashir of genocide.
At least 300, 000 people lost their lives and 2.7 million displaced, according to United Nations estimate.