On July 14, 2008, the top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno Ocampo, issued a bill of indictment against Sudanese President 'Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes perpetrated during the Darfur conflict. Ocampo also requested that an international warrant be issued for Al-Bashir's arrest.
Cartoonists in the Arab press have focused on the case, supporting Al-Bashir while criticizing the ICC, the U.S., and Israel (see also MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 457, "Controversy in the Arab World Over ICC Indictment of Sudan President Al-Bashir," July 24, 2008, http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/2769.htm).
The following are examples of cartoons in the Arab press on the ICC and Al-Bashir:
The ICC and Sudan
On octopus: "ICC"; on President Al-Bashir: "Sudan"
Cartoonist: Amjad Rasmi
Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), July 13, 2008
On judge's sash: "ICC"; on paper in judge's hands: "Darfur"; on books beneath chair: "Sabra and Shatila," "Qana"
Cartoonist: Naser Al-Jaafari
Al-Quds (Jerusalem), July 15, 2008
Above: "Justice"; on figure of Al-Bashir: "Sudan"
Cartoonist: Hassan Bleibel
Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon), July 17, 2008
On bull: "ICC decision"
Cartoonist: Hamid Ata
Al-Khaleej (UAE), July 22, 2008
After Palestine and Iraq – Sudan
On pool of blood: "Iraq," "Palestine"; on turbaned figure: "Al-Bashir"
Cartoonist: Jalal Al-Refa'i
Al-Dustour (Jordan), July 16, 2008
"Sudan"
Cartoonist: Abdallah Darqawi
Al-Dustour (Jordan), July 24, 2008
Darfur
On right: "Darfur"; on left: "Court"
Cartoonist: Habeeb Haddad
Al-Hayat (London), July 22, 2008
Writing: "Sudan"; on bomb: "Darfur"; on burning fuse: "Arrest warrant"
Cartoonist: Abdullah Mahraqi
Akhbar Al-Khaleej (Bahrain), July 23, 2008
On elephant: "Khartoum" (khartoum is also Arabic for an elephant's trunk); on bird: "Darfur"; beneath hoop: "ICC"
Cartoonist: Khalil Abu Arafa
Al-Quds (Jerusalem), July 15, 2008
Israel, Not Al-Bashir, Is the Criminal
Al-Bashir: "What’s going on?" his robe is labeled "Sudan"
On "Wanted" poster: "Bush," "Blair," "Olmert"; on sleeve on right: "ICC"; on hand: "Ocampo"; on men behind Al-Bashir: "Arab countries"
Cartoonist: Abdullah Mahraqi
Akhbar Al-Khaleej (Bahrain), July 16, 2008
"The ICC"
Cartoonist: Naser Al-Jaafari
Al-Arab Al-Yawm (Jordan), July 19, 2008
U.S. Policy
Right to left: "Iraq"; "Syria"; "Sudan"
Cartoonist: Abdullah Mahraqi
Akhbar Al-Khaleej (Bahrain), July 22, 2008
President Al-Bashir
"Coming soon – Arab Heroes Part II"
Cartoonist: Emad Hajaj
Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), July 16, 2008
"Arrest Warrant"
Cartoonist: Omaya Joha
Al-Raya (Qatar), July 16, 2008
"Look at the structure"; on Al-Bashir: "Arrest Warrant on the President Below"
Cartoonist : Saad Haju
Al-Safir (Lebanon), July 16, 2008
"Al-Bashir" bites "Ocampo's" "finger of accusation"
Cartoonist: Eley Saleba
Al-Watan (Qatar), July 16, 2008
On painter: "Ocampo"
Cartoonist: Naser Al-Jaafari
Al-Arab Al-Yawm (Jordan), July 21, 2008
Cartoonist: Fares Qarabit
Al-Watan (Syria), July 23, 2008
Justice
"In Khartoum…"
Cartoonist: Habeeb Haddad
Al-Hayat (London), July 20, 2008
"Sudan"
Cartoonist: Abdallah Darqawi
Al-Dustour (Jordan), July 21, 2008
The Sudanese Peace Dove
Cartoonist: Hassan Idleby
Al-Bayan (UAE), July 25, 2008
"Khartoum"
Cartoonist: Eley Saleba
Al-Watan (Qatar), July 27, 2008
