[JURIST] The Sudanese government defended its handling of military and police personnel allegedly involved in human rights abuses in Darfur [JURIST news archive] before the UN Human Rights Committee [official website] Wednesday, denying allegations that the government was collaborating with armed militias that have committed some of the worst atrocities against civilians while insisting that the Sudanese judiciary is capable of handling allegations of murder, torture, and rape. Sudanese officials also defended a proposed Darfur peace accord [JURIST report] which contains an amnesty agreement, saying that the amnesty does not grant immunity from war crimes as they are defined by international conventions.

Sudan [JURIST news archive] also responded to calls from the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the arrest of Sudanese war crimes suspects [JURIST report], saying that the ICC did not have the jurisdiction [JURIST report] to prosecute alleged war crimes in Darfur because Sudan has not ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court [text] and Sudanese courts are capable and willing to prosecute alleged war crimes. The UN Human Rights Committee, composed by a panel of 18 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [text], is currently reviewing [90th Session materials] the recent rights records of Zambia, Sudan, the Czech Republic, and Grenada and is expected to issue its findings on July 27. AFP has more.