Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the August meeting of the Brics countries in South Africa. This was announced by the South African President’s office on Wednesday. The government in Pretoria should have arrested Putin upon entry according to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa had previously sought ways to avoid having to arrest Russian ruler Vladimir Putin at a summit in August. Ramaphosa’s country is hosting the upcoming summit of the confederation of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics). Their heads of state or government are expected to attend, including Putin. However, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president for war crimes. South Africa – as an ICC member – would therefore be obliged to arrest Putin if he appeared at the summit.
According to a document published by a local court on Tuesday, Ramaphosa had asked the ICC not to have to arrest Putin, as this would be tantamount to “a declaration of war”. That’s exactly what ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev emphasized in March.
Ramaphosa said he had started an Article 97 procedure with the ICC that states could invoke when they were unable to make an arrest because of impediments. “South Africa is having obvious problems fulfilling a request for the arrest and extradition of President Putin,” the affidavit said. Now Putin will not even come.
It’s about kidnapping Ukrainian children
The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against the Russian president in March for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. This means that all 123 member states of the court are called upon to extradite Putin to prosecutors if possible.
Investigators have been gathering evidence for more than a year into various allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. In March, the judges declared that the evidence was strong enough – at least for a first, particularly serious allegation. It’s about kidnapping Ukrainian children, punishable as a war crime under Article 8 of the Court Statute.
In addition to Vladimir Putin, a second arrest warrant was issued against his commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvowa-Belowa. Just a few weeks after the war began last February, the 38-year-old began sending Ukrainian children from occupied territories to Russia.
South African authorities have repeatedly said the summit will go ahead despite the controversy. In the war in Ukraine, South Africa officially describes itself as neutral. However, Western countries consider it a close ally of Moscow. In February, South Africa, China and Russia held joint maneuvers off the South African coast – just in time for the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.