Bashir's flight shows ICC's weakness as it ventures into tougher cases

The escape of Sudan's President from an arrest warrant demonstrates the International Criminal Court's weaknesses, just as it prepares to venture into even more politically-charged cases in places like the Palestinian territories and Ukraine.

The Hague-based court has no enforcement powers of its own, and depends on the good will of countries to carry out its orders. Omar al-Bashir, wanted by the ICC since 2008 on war crimes and genocide charges, left South Africa in defiance of a domestic court which ordered that he stay.