South Africa is facing potential pressure to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin due to its commitment to international justice, as mandated by the Rome Statute. The concern of the Cyril Ramaphosa government is evident.
The international community is wondering if Putin, scheduled to attend the 15th BRICS Summit in August 2023, will be arrested upon his arrival. Although it remains a hypothetical situation, South Africa’s diplomatic circles are tense.
A matter of concern
“This is obviously a matter of concern,” said Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s Minister for International Relations and Cooperation on March 24th. Mandela was president when South Africa joined the Rome Statute in 1988 and now the government is seeking legal advice on the matter.
The Omar al-Bashir case of 2015 serves as an example of this dilemma – court judges had ordered Bashir’s arrest before he could leave for an African Union summit in Johannesburg; however, immunity granted to sovereign leaders was cited by then-President Jacob Zuma as reason for exemption from arrest. Civil society accused Zuma of disregarding court decisions and subsequently, South Africa was summoned to The Hague.
The ANC (African National Congress) has not yet commented on this issue while opposition members are asking Ramaphosa not to welcome Putin. Although Russia has not ratified the ICC statute, members who joined must comply with all ICC arrest warrants – a position that is being debated heatedly in Pretoria.
