Kampala — AMNESTY International yesterday expressed dismay at President Yoweri Museveni's invitation to Sudanese President Omar al Bashir to attend the special African Union summit on refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons in Africa, scheduled to begin on Monday.

Museveni during a press conference at State House Entebbe on Wednesday said Bashir would not be arrested and surrendered to the ICC upon his arrival in Uganda.

"President al Bashir is a fugitive from international justice - charged with responsibility for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur," said Christopher Keith Hall, legal adviser with Amnesty International, in a statement.

"The Ugandan government has an obligation to arrest President al Bashir and hand him over to the ICC should he enter Ugandan territory."

An arrest warrant for President al Bashir was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on March 4.

Uganda as a state party to the treaty establishing the ICC is obliged to cooperate with the court and "arrest and surrender anyone named in an arrest warrant to the ICC", the human rights group said.

"If it fails to do so, the ICC can refer this clear violation of Uganda's obligations to the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC oversight body."