ICC prosecutors seek life sentence for Janjaweed leader convicted of Darfur crimes

The International Criminal Court is pushing for the maximum penalty, life in prison, for Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, a former commander of Sudan’s notorious Janjaweed militia.

Prosecutors say he played a central role in the brutal campaign of massacres, rapes, and village burnings that tore through Darfur more than 20 years ago. Last month, he was convicted on 27 counts, including murder, rape, and persecution marking the ICC’s first-ever conviction related to the Darfur conflict.

Despite the overwhelming evidence, Abd-Al-Rahman has maintained his innocence, claiming he was not the man known as Ali Kushayb, a defense the judges rejected. His lawyers are now asking for a dramatically reduced sentence of seven years, which could free the 76-year-old within 18 months due to time served.

The case unfolds against a backdrop of renewed turmoil in Sudan. Violence between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, once allies, has spiraled since 2023, killing at least 40,000 people and displacing 12 million. As Darfur again faces mass atrocities and the world watches in alarm, the ICC’s sentencing of one of the region’s most feared militia leaders takes on even greater significance.

ICC prosecutors seek life sentence for Janjaweed leader convicted of Darfur crimes