|
Senegal signs US deal
04/07/2003 16:00 - (SA)
Dakar - Senegal has signed a deal with the United States agreeing not to extradite US nationals to the International Criminal Court (ICC), two human rights organisations said here.
Amnesty International and the African Group for the Defence of Human Rights said in a statement on Thursday that they "deeply regret that the government of Senegal signed... the impunity accords, agreeing not to extradite to the ICC American nationals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and massacres".
The accord has been signed, the statement said, but still has to be ratified by the national assembly.
The two rights groups have called on "all active forces in the nation... notably civil society groups, unions, political parties" to mobilise their backers against the pact.
The United States on Tuesday put monetary muscle behind its strong opposition to the ICC, suspending more than $47m in military aid to 35 countries for their failure or refusal to give US citizens immunity from prosecution by the new court.
Senegal, which US President George W Bush will visit on a mini-tour of Africa due to start next week, was not on the list of countries hit by the aid suspension.
Washington has been pressing countries to sign immunity deals, or so-called "Article 98" agreements, so that assistance could be restored. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA
|
News
