JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – As the BRICS summit slated for August 2023 approaches, a politically charged maelstrom has begun to whirl around Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The South African government, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has stated that Putin will be arrested if he chooses to attend the summit in person. This comes following the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes in March this year.
“We have no option not to arrest Putin. If he comes here, we will have to arrest him,” a South African government official declared, as reported by the Heritage Times.
The government has instead suggested Putin participate in the international conference via Zoom or Microsoft Teams from Moscow.
As a signatory to the Rome Statute of the ICC, South Africa is obligated to assist in the apprehension of Putin.
Last week, President Ramaphosa appointed a special government committee led by the country’s vice president, to examine the implications of Putin’s international arrest warrant.
“The committee will not be able to find any options that would allow Putin to come. The only option we have is for [Putin] to participate in the summit via Teams or Zoom from Moscow,” the official added on Monday, May 1, 2023.
President Ramaphosa has found himself in a delicate situation, under mounting pressure to execute the ICC warrant.
Amidst speculation of withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the South African Presidency officially confirmed last week that the country has no plans to abandon its ICC membership, thereby rejecting the notion that Pretoria was considering such a move.
The charges against Putin, issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on March 17, also extend to Russian Children’s Ombudsperson Maria Lvova-Belova. Both have been accused of illegally deporting children from Ukraine to Russia since February 24, 2022.
Putin’s position is further complicated by the fact that he may be subject to arrest in any of the 123 countries that have ratified the Rome Statute, South Africa included.
The Kremlin, however, has not yet confirmed whether Putin will attend the upcoming summit. BRICS, an international bloc composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, remains a significant forum for these emerging economies.
As the August summit approaches, the international community will watch closely how this political drama unfolds.
The South African government’s firm stance indicates a potential turning point in the enforcement of ICC warrants, marking a new chapter in global diplomacy.
