Human Rights Lawyer Richard Spoor has urged South Africa to be cautious in its efforts to execute the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Spoor expressed concern that this move could put South Africa in a difficult position. The warrant requires South Africa to arrest Putin if he attends the BRICS Summit in August, which will be hosted by South Africa.
This comes after the ICC in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for the Russian President for alleged war crimes. South Africa is set to welcome the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, and China for the 15th BRICS Summit from 22 to 24 August in Durban. The ANC-led government is reportedly seeking legal advice on the matter to assess the implications of this ICC decision.
South Africa is among the 123 countries that have signed the Rome Statute. Western countries and the ICC expect all signatories to the Rome Statute to make an arrest if Putin visits their countries. With the war in Ukraine continuing for over a year, Putin is accused of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
Spoor warned that arresting Putin could have negative diplomatic implications for South Africa, adding that a constitutional crisis could arise. He suggested that the only way to avoid this crisis would be to withdraw from the ICC. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Democratic Alliance (DA) called for Putin’s arrest if he sets foot in the country during the BRICS Summit, while the African Transformation Movement (ATM) opposed his arrest.