SA govt met ICC 97 times over Putin’s arrest warrant

The South African government met with the International Criminal Court (ICC) almost a hundred times in a bid to have the arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin reserved until after next month’s Brics summit in Johannesburg.

The meeting sessions happened from the time the ICC warrant was issued in March until this week when it was announced that Putin will not be attending the summit.

ALSO READ: Brics-Africa tie fortified, Mbalula optimistic about collaboration

Government said the consultations with the ICC were necessary because the country needed to find a solution to the stand-off that was threatening to collapse the summit, according to the City Press.

However, the efforts to persuade the ICC failed and South Africa had to explore other options, including moving the summit to another country.

‘Putin decision taken last month’

International relations department director-general Zane Dangor told the publication that the decision on Putin was communicated a month ago, and that government did not announce it because President Cyril Ramaphosa needed to consult with other Brics members.

“At the same time, Cabinet, through the inter-ministerial committee, wanted to know what the other legal options were and what the legal obligations were regarding the warrant,” Dangor was quoted as saying.

ALSO READ: Thank goodness for the law

The confirmation of Putin not travelling to South Africa came as the Democratic Alliance (DA) was headed to court on Friday to compel the government to execute an arrest warrant for the Russian president.

The ICC accused Putin of war crimes relating to Russia’s war against Ukraine since February last year. 

According to Ramaphosa’s confidential affidavit released publicly on Tuesday, arresting Putin would be a declaration of war with Russia if he travelled to South Africa for the Brics summit.

NOW READ: Vladimir Putin will not be attending Brics summit in SA