GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office called on Sudan on Friday to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for deposed President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes nearly 15 years ago.

“We do encourage the authorities in Sudan to fully cooperate with the ICC, there is a Security Council resolution as far back as 2005 calling on the government of Sudan to fully cooperate with and provide assistance,” U.N. human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a Geneva news briefing.

Earlier, U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Sudanese authorities should release people held for peacefully protesting and investigate the use of force against demonstrations since December.