South Africa: "Putin Should Be Arrested as a War Criminal if He Attends BRICS Meeting"... Urges Online Participation

ICC War Crime Suspect Must Cooperate with Arrest
South African President Reversed Statement on ICC Withdrawal

The South African government has reportedly stated that if Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the BRICS meeting held in the country in August in person, he must be arrested, and has instead recommended online attendance.

President Putin, who currently has an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March as a suspect of war crimes in Ukraine, would have to be detained by the South African government cooperating with the ICC if he visits South Africa, an ICC member state. With Putin's attendance still undecided, analysts predict that Russia's national standing will further decline.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 2nd (local time), the South African media outlet South African Sunday Times reported, citing government sources, that after discussions within the South African government, it was concluded that if President Putin visits South Africa to attend the BRICS summit, he must be arrested. Since South Africa is an ICC member and a party to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, it must arrest President Putin, against whom the ICC has issued a warrant as a war crimes suspect.

As a result, South Africa, currently led by a pro-Russian government, is reportedly in a very difficult position. Earlier, on the 25th of last month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced at a press conference that the country would withdraw from the ICC, but soon reversed this decision. As a pro-Russian country, South Africa cannot arrest President Putin, but withdrawing from the ICC would also mean voluntarily isolating itself from the international community.

Accordingly, the South African government has reportedly proposed alternatives to Russia, such as President Putin attending online or sending a minister as a proxy instead of attending in person. Russia has not yet made a final statement regarding Putin's visit.

Russia is also concerned that if President Putin does not attend, he will be stigmatized for being unable to attend the summit due to the ICC arrest warrant, which would significantly damage Russia's standing in the international community. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized at a press briefing last month, "(President Putin) will of course attend the summit held in South Africa," adding, "Bilateral contacts with South Africa will precede this, and we will make their position clear."