South Africa’s government is taking legal advice on how to handle an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in the event the Russian leader attends a BRICS summit in August.

The ICC issued the warrant against Putin on March 18 for war crimes related to the alleged abduction of children from Ukraine. South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the court, and may be obliged to execute the arrest order.

“We are awaiting a refreshed legal opinion on the matter,” International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor told South Africa’s state broadcaster on Friday.

“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.”

South Africa has adopted a neutral stance on Russia’s war with Ukraine. The government’s position has drawn opprobrium from some of the nation’s biggest trading partners, including the US and the European Union, along with some of the nation’s biggest banks.

South Africa is unlikely to arrest any visiting head of state, said two officials at the foreign ministry who declined to be identified. The government and the ruling African National Congress are considering all options in an effort to avoid executing the warrant, they said.

Spokespeople for South Africa’s foreign ministry declined to comment.

The Kremlin has yet to decide on whether Putin will travel to South Africa for the BRICS summit, Interfax reported, citing spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

South Africa drew international criticism in 2015, when it refused to execute an ICC arrest warrant for then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir while he was attending an African Union summit in the country. Former South African President Jacob Zuma proposed withdrawing from the ICC in 2016, though that plan was later abandoned.

The South African government is scheduled to host a delegation of Russian ministers next week for a meeting of the two nations’ Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Julius Malema's EFF party "will protect Putin in SA"

South Africa will host the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China at the 15th BRICS Summit from 22 to 24 August in Durban.

The International Criminal Court has recently issued an arrest warrant against Putin for the "unlawful deportation" of Ukrainian children.

But Russia is not a member of ICC and it is not yet clear how the warrant will be enforced.

Malema has described the ICC as hypocrites.

He briefed the media on Thursday following the party's national shutdown on Monday.

"Putin is welcome here, and no one is going to arrest him.

"If needs be, we will go and fetch him from the airport to his meeting, he will address finish all his meetings and we will take him back to the airport.

"We are not going to be told by these hypocrites of the International Criminal Court who know the real violators of human rights and the murders of this world.

"President Vladimir Putin is welcomed, we know our friends, the people who liberated us, and the people who supported us.

"We know the people who supported us, In Cuito Cuanavale the weapons that were used and led to the liberation of South Africa were coming from Russia," Malema added.

I laugh in Tsar Bomber

Okay

SA had better stockpile their nukes in preparation.

I don't see that happening, south Africa and Russia currently enjoy good diplomatic relations

You dey play abi?

Dem no born dem well... unless all of them won roast like chicken together with their president

It can't happen, former sudan president Al Bashir was once in sa and icc order for his arrest. But sa can't arrest a sitting president of another country. He left the country after the summit

yarimo:
It can't happen, former sudan president Al Bashir was once in sa and icc order for his arrest. But sa can't arrest a sitting president of another country. He left the country after the summit

Al Bashir "left" under the darkness of night after an SA court ordered his arrest. It's believed the Zuma regime helped him escape.

Thereafter Zuma regime began discrediting the ICC.

Deykemi:
I laugh in Tsar Bomber

WannaHowzit:
South Africa’s government is taking legal advice on how to handle an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin in the event the Russian leader attends a BRICS summit in August.

The ICC issued the warrant against Putin on March 18 for war crimes related to the alleged abduction of children from Ukraine. South Africa is a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the court, and may be obliged to execute the arrest order.

“We are awaiting a refreshed legal opinion on the matter,” International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor told South Africa’s state broadcaster on Friday.

“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.”

South Africa has adopted a neutral stance on Russia’s war with Ukraine. The government’s position has drawn opprobrium from some of the nation’s biggest trading partners, including the US and the European Union, along with some of the nation’s biggest banks.

South Africa is unlikely to arrest any visiting head of state, said two officials at the foreign ministry who declined to be identified. The government and the ruling African National Congress are considering all options in an effort to avoid executing the warrant, they said.

Spokespeople for South Africa’s foreign ministry declined to comment.

The Kremlin has yet to decide on whether Putin will travel to South Africa for the BRICS summit, Interfax reported, citing spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

South Africa drew international criticism in 2015, when it refused to execute an ICC arrest warrant for then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir while he was attending an African Union summit in the country. Former South African President Jacob Zuma proposed withdrawing from the ICC in 2016, though that plan was later abandoned.

The South African government is scheduled to host a delegation of Russian ministers next week for a meeting of the two nations’ Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Does South Africa want to be vaporized...??

It will be foolishness with disastrous consequences if SA tried any move on President. Putin.
Besides SA is a member of the BRICS organization ,has a good relationship with Russia and has largely stayed neutral in the Ukraine crises matter so they wouldn't dare arrest Mr. Putin.

Importantly, it is even more ridiculous, dangerous and foolish for any country weither signatory to the ICC or not to attempt to arrest Putin in a foreign land.
Try it and receive the furry of might Russia.

The arrest warrant issues by the ICC is a mischievous and dangerous joke that must not take place else.....these deluded westerners will cook what they can not finish.

Nobody should dare arrest a sitting president of any country anywhere....it is disrespectful and a call to the disruption of international peace.

If a crime has been committed (that's if a genuine crime at all) there should be other biting measures or channels that should be explored against the said president or nation......however we all know the ICC charges are all vain and cooked up to suit the west.

The ICC and the UN has succeded in making themselves a joke.

The west over rates themselves....
Something that the US,UK, France or any NATO member state can not try is what they want to push other unsuspecting Nations to attempt....funny!

Cyril is a clown 😆


OP dey play

Sa I first no like them but I no say Nigerians are there ..wo Putin go show una 9 9

I smile nuclearly

WannaHowzit:


Al Bashir "left" under the darkness of night after an SA court ordered his arrest. It's believed the Zuma regime helped him escape.

Thereafter Zuma regime began discrediting the ICC.

liar

South africa(afrikaans) cant do sh*t

Big South African nyash on fire.

There are some things I would love to witness in this life. SA should please play some music for us let's watch them dance.

It will be their last dance. Hehehehehehe

Nah. An African country will be too scared to try that. As much as I want Putard arrested, he cannot be arrested, at least not any time soon.

The arrest warrant is just meant to put a permanent dent on his character and further dissociate some nations who are sitting on the fence till now.

Russia is Africa friendly than USA and NATO.
If ICC want to arrest senior man putin, they should go to Russia and arrest him

WannaHowzit:


Al Bashir "left" under the darkness of night after an SA court ordered his arrest. It's believed the Zuma regime helped him escape.

Thereafter Zuma regime began discrediting the ICC.

"Left under the darkness of night" you say? Is it possible for a president to sneak out of another country?

How some of you believe anyone will dare to arrest Putin is funny. If Putin travels to Hague where the International Criminal Court is based, the authorities there will never arrest him not to talk of South Africa.

If the ICC could arrest him, why haven't they sent agents to Russia to arrest Putin? Or sent undercover agents to South Africa to arrest him? As usual, they keep dragging African countries into their mess and try using us as sacrificial lambs. So it is us that should arrest Putin?

After arresting Putin, what next? The ICC will fly him out of SA? Or they'll leave him in SA while the court passes judgment? Where will he be imprisoned if found guilty? SA? Hague? US?

Let me tell you: Countries are considered sovereign, which means they are the law by themselves and are independent from any higher or external authority. That also means an attack on a country's president is a declaration of war.

Watching

habsydiamond:
Dem no born dem well... unless all of them won roast like chicken together with their president

They can't even try it, touch a world powerful president like Putin and watch your country nuked to ashes. even the almighty USA won't try such nonsense, ICC are just so irrelevant and bunch of cowards organization.

Na SA third world War go take start

Unless they are fantasizing with the idea of being wiped off the map.

They didn't arrest Al-Bashir when same warrant was issued against him, Na Putin una wan come try??
Even Devil no him mate?

Lol, imagine the only move a country has when threatened is using nukes.

WannaHowzit:


Al Bashir "left" under the darkness of night after an SA court ordered his arrest. It's believed the Zuma regime helped him escape.

Thereafter Zuma regime began discrediting the ICC.

Fine then, you guyz should arrest Putin. We will be glad to be spectators.