Abd-Al-Rahman, aged 76, was convicted in October 2025 on 27 counts, including mass murder, torture, rape, persecution, destruction of property, forcible transfer of populations, and other grave abuses perpetrated in 2003–2004.
Presiding Judge Joanna Korner emphasised that Abd-Al-Rahman not only directed many of the atrocities but, in some instances, personally carried out killings, including bludgeoning prisoners to death with an axe.
Prosecutors had initially sought a life sentence, citing the extreme gravity of the crimes and the large number of victims. However, the court ruled that a 20-year joint sentence with time already served since his 2020 surrender deducted was appropriate, taking into account mitigating factors such as his age, conduct during the trial, and voluntary surrender.
Also Read: ICC Convicts First Janjaweed Militia Leader for Darfur War Crimes
This conviction marks the first time the ICC has secured a sentence for crimes committed during the long-running Darfur conflict.
Human rights groups hailed the verdict as a landmark step towards accountability, saying it offers a measure of justice to victims and communities that suffered during the violence of two decades ago.
However, observers note that, while the ruling is historic, continued conflict and renewed violence in Sudan particularly involving successor paramilitary groups linked to the original militia underscore the ongoing need for vigilance, documentation, and further prosecutions.
