- Amnesty International and human rights activists are expected to send a message to United Nations Security Council at a rally on Thursday evening urging the body to reject efforts to block indictment of Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir by International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide in war torn Darfur region.
ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has accused Sudan's president of masterminding a campaign of rape, murder and deportation in volatile Darfur region.
A demonstration by activists will call on UN member states to stop delaying and keep promises they have made for more than a year to send 26,000 peacekeepers to protect civilians in Darfur.
Activists demand that 15 countries on UN Security Council not turn a blind eye to justice and accountability in Darfur crisis.
Amnesty International Executive Director Larry Cox said nobody should be protected from prosecution for most serious crimes committed in Darfur under international law.
Amnesty International also wants peacekeepers deployed without delay in Darfur region. "Delays in deployment are putting millions of lives at further risk in a region where hundreds of thousands of individuals have died in more than five years of unrelenting, horrific violence," said Mr Cox.
"If attempts to block the ICC's investigation of President Al Bashir succeed, it would set a dangerous precedent for others to try to undermine international law," he said, stating that it would send a message that international community is not serious about ending impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Earlier this week, Sudanese officials were reported to have begun lobbying at United Nations to block ICC's indictment on country's longtime president.
Sudanese government is calling on UN Security Council to defer ICC proceedings using power granted to the council in ICC's statute. African Union and League of Arab States have also joined in this effort.
Vienna Colucci, Director, International Justice, Amnesty International USA said deferral of investigations would undermine work established to curb human rights abuses.
United States, a permanent member of Security Council said it is unwilling to circumvent pursuit of justice and accountability in Darfur and has indicated support for ICC investigation.
Amnesty International has called on Zalmay Khalilzad, American ambassador to United Nations, to use his influence to prevent Security Council from obstructing the investigation.
Activists representing 15 organisations will erect 15 eight-foot-high silhouette figures blindfolded and carrying scales of justice.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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