ICC Achieves Historic Darfur War Crimes Conviction of Janjaweed Militia Leader

ICC Achieves Historic Darfur War Crimes Conviction of Janjaweed Militia Leader

RMN News Report Highlights:

🥇 The conviction of Mr. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman is historic as it is the ICC’s first conviction in the Situation in Darfur, the first from a Security Council referral, and the first for gender-based persecution.

⚖️ Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman was found guilty of rape as both a war crime and a crime against humanity, along with the crime against humanity of persecution of Fur males, recognizing the intersecting nature of multiple forms of discrimination.

🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin avoided traveling to the BRICS Summit in Brazil in July 2025, participating via video link, because Brazil is legally obliged to act on the 2023 ICC warrant against him for the war crime of deporting children from Ukraine.

✈️ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently took an unusual flight detour to the United States to avoid European airspace, a route change widely believed to be a measure to evade enforcement of the ICC arrest warrant issued against him on November 21, 2024.

RMN News Legal Desk
October 8, 2025

THE HAGUE – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has delivered a landmark conviction, unanimously finding Mr. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (also known as Ali Kushayb), a senior leader of the pro-government Janjaweed militia, guilty of numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, Sudan.

This pivotal ruling delivered on October 6 establishes several firsts for the Court: it is the first conviction related to the Situation in Darfur, Sudan, the first conviction stemming from a situation referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council, and the first time the Court has secured a conviction for gender-based persecution.

The judges of Trial Chamber I determined that Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman was criminally responsible for crimes committed during a widespread and systematic attack by the Janjaweed militia and forces of the Government of Sudan against the civilian population in West Darfur between at least August 2003 and March 2004. The judges rejected the Defence’s argument and affirmed that the accused was known by the nickname Ali Kushayb.

Details of the Darfur Verdict

Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman was found responsible for all crimes charged, including murder, torture, and outrages upon personal dignity. These actions involved “scorched earth tactics,” resulting in death, injury, and destruction among civilians through the burning and pillaging of entire villages and mass executions.

The judgment included significant findings regarding gender-based crimes, which remains a strategic priority for the Office of the Prosecutor:

1. He was found guilty of rape as both a war crime and a crime against humanity. The judges found that the attack led to rapes of women and girls, causing profound physical, cultural, and social harm to the victims.
2. He was convicted of the crime against humanity of persecution of males from the Fur tribe. This specific charge recognized the intersecting nature of multiple forms of discrimination targeting Fur males on political, ethnic, and gender grounds.

Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan stated that the conviction is “a crucial step towards closing the impunity gap in Darfur” and sends “a resounding message to perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan, both past and present, that justice will prevail”. Deputy Prosecutor Khan called the decision a tribute to the bravery of thousands of Darfuri victims who fought for justice.

The ruling follows a thorough investigation initiated after the Security Council’s referral in 2005. The Prosecution relied on the testimonies of 81 witnesses and 1,521 items of evidence, including documents from the Government of Sudan, satellite images, photographs, videos, and social media posts. Following the ruling, the judges will now consider the appropriate sentence for Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman.

The Office of the Prosecutor confirmed that its investigation in Darfur remains active and that the conflict continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security. The Office renewed its urgent call for the arrest of other individuals with outstanding warrants in Darfur: Mr. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, Mr. Ahmad Harun, and Mr. Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein. The charges against Mr. Harun are described as closely linked to those against Mr. Abd-Al-Rahman.

Global Enforcement Challenges Highlighted

While the ICC conducts independent and impartial investigations into grave crimes, its effectiveness depends entirely on the cooperation of its member states, as the Court lacks its own police force or the direct power to enforce arrest warrants. All 124 states that are parties to the Rome Statute are legally obliged to arrest accused individuals and transfer them to The Hague if they enter their territory.

This reliance has been scrutinized globally following recent high-profile warrants:

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently took an unusual flight detour to the United States to avoid European airspace, a route change widely believed to be a measure to evade enforcement of his outstanding ICC arrest warrant. The ICC issued the warrant against him on November 21, 2024, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Gaza Strip between at least October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in the BRICS Summit in Brazil in July 2025 via video link, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attending in person. President Putin avoided travel because Brazil, as a signatory to the Rome Statute, is legally obliged to act on the ICC warrant issued against him in 2023 for the war crime of deporting children from Ukraine. As Putin is expected to visit India in December 2025, he might be arrested and handed over to ICC.

While many countries support the ICC, several have indicated reluctance to enforce the warrants. Deputy Prosecutor Khan affirmed that the Darfur judgment “represents a vindication of the decision of the Council to refer this matter” and resolved to ensure that this trial “will be the first of a number” in relation to Darfur.