Cape Town – South Africa is reportedly taking legal advice on how to handle an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in the event the Russian leader attends a Brics summit in South Africa in August.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin on March 18, accusing him of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
South Africa is hosting this year’s Brics summit in August, which is expected to be attended by all heads of state in the organisation, including Russia.
South Africa is a signatory of the Rome Statute and, therefore, has the responsibility to execute an ICC arrest warrant, if the person against whom it is issued sets foot in South Africa, the report said.
“We are awaiting a refreshed legal opinion on the matter,” International Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor told the SABC on Friday, according to Bloomberg.
“We are concerned about the situation of the people of Ukraine. What we would want to do is be in a position where we could continue to engage with both countries to persuade them towards peace.”
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In 2015, following the controversy over former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who the government allowed to leave South Africa without being detained under International Crimes Court law, the SA government applied to withdraw from the ICC, Eye Witness News reported.
However, in 2017 the country revoked its withdrawal after a High Court ruling found that the move was unconstitutional.
South Africa has opted to adopt a non-aligned position on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Pandor said in April last year that this stance doesn’t mean that the country is not concerned about the loss of lives and the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
“Our non-aligned position doesn’t mean that we condone the military intervention of Russia in Ukraine. We believe that this intervention is in violation of the law.
“… We are extremely worried at the deteriorating humanitarian situation. We believe that as a matter of urgency, there must be a suspension of hostilities which in our view would the first towards providing a comprehensive response to the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding.
“We continue to stress as South Africa that dialogue, mediation, and diplomacy is the only path to end conflict,” said Pandor.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
