A document published by a local court in South Africa, on Tuesday, revealed that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has requested the International Criminal Court (ICC) to exempt the country from arresting Russian President Vladimir Putin, as such an action could amount to a declaration of war.
South Africa is set to host a summit for BRICS nations next month, which is expected to be attended by all heads of state from the member countries, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. However, the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of committing a war crime related to the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. As a member of the ICC, South Africa is obligated to arrest him if he attends the summit.
Ramaphosa made these comments in a legal response to a lawsuit filed by the opposition Democratic Alliance party, which seeks to compel the government to arrest Putin if he visits South Africa. Ramaphosa's response was announced on Tuesday, although it was submitted on June 27.
In his response, Ramaphosa stated that he has initiated proceedings with the ICC under Article 97, which allows states to request a non-execution of an arrest due to existing issues that prevent it. He mentioned that he would not be able to disclose details about these proceedings.
Ramaphosa added, "South Africa has clear problems in executing a request to arrest and extradite President Putin." He further noted, "Russia has clearly stated that the arrest of its current president would be a declaration of war." The Kremlin has not yet announced whether Putin intends to attend the summit, and Ramaphosa indicated that a final decision has not yet been made.
