Prof. Shalluf: For This Reason I Am Under Fire, and Sacked From My Duties Sunday 18 March 2007 I feel liberated from ICC constraints, shall file an objection, By: (sudanvisiondaily) Following his relief by ICC as the Counsel of Defense in Darfur Case, Professor Hadi Shalluf expressed his comfort as a result saying that he now feels liberated from the constraints of that court adding that he is now in a position to defend Sudan if assigned to do so. Professor Shalluf said he would however file an objection against that ICC decision. Shalluf who currently occupies the position of the Paris based European Arab Association of Advocates voiced his full preparedness to form an international legal team to advocate Sudan's case. "I have the desire to continue advocating for Sudan's case if the latter asks for that and I will visit Khartoum soon to meet with officials," Shalluf told Sudan Vision in a telephone conversation with the paper's Editor-in-Chief. Professor Shalluf attributed the ICC decision of sacking him from his duties to the conflict within ICC which he said it wanted to influence him but he refused that. "As a result, they raised charges against me," he stated Highlighting the general features of his memo to the court, Shalluf said he based his legal defense on Sudan's non-approval of the Rome Convention and so citizens of Sudan should not appear before ICC. Additionally UNSC is not empowered to refer the Darfur case to ICC since three of its permanent members have not approved the Rome Convention. According to Shalluf, memo article (12) of the Rome Convention supports Sudan's case as the Sudanese Judiciary is independent and can take the required legal measures in this connection and that ICC integrates the judicial system of the country concerned. Professor Shalluf added that ICC was expecting him to respond to the comments of UN Human Rights Commissioner and the Chairman of the Commission investigating the crimes in Darfur but according to him article (103) of procedures gives him the right of response or non-response. "In principle, I believe that there must be equality before justice and that is why I stated in my memo that if we consider Sudan's case we should also consider the cases in Lebanon, Iraq and Somalia," said Professor Shalluf in his memo. Ever since then the court has considered his replies an advocating of Sudan as motivated by his being a French of an Arab origin. He further pointed out that ICC suspended his fees permanently since October 2006 as a result of his challenging the jurisdictions of ICC as the Court concerned with the Darfur case. He said that since 2005, the Court has become aware that his memos are opposed to its general trend and that of the Attorney General. Shalluf revealed that he submitted a request to the Court to allow him to join the Chief Persecutor in his visit to Sudan but the Court issued a decision in 2007 turning down his request, adding the Court even refused his appeal against that decision. He went to say that there are ethnic and religious conflicts within the Court that led to its decision dated 15 March 2007 sacking him of his duties. Shalluf reaffirmed his conviction of the correctness of his memo which he said he has premised on legal bases and which according to him won the admiration of a considerable number of legal professionals in a number of countries. He said he also presented several lectures in Germany on referral of cases to ICC. http://www.smc.sd/en/artopic.asp?artID=25766&aCK=EA
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