South Africa grants Putin and Brics leaders diplomatic immunity for summit

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

South Africa grants Putin and Brics leaders diplomatic immunity for summit

ICC warrant for Russian president’s arrest issued in March over alleged war crimes in Ukraine

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Tue 30 May 2023 15.51 BST
First published on Tue 30 May 2023 15.26 BST

South Africa has issued blanket diplomatic immunity to all leaders attending an August summit, meaning Vladimir Putin might be able to travel to Johannesburg and not fear the country acting on an international criminal court warrant for his arrest.

South African officials insisted the broad offer of immunity, issued in a government gazette, may not trump the ICC arrest warrant. As an ICC member, South Africa would be under pressure, and possibly under a legal requirement, to arrest Putin. The court issued a warrant for his arrest in March over the alleged forcible deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

South Africa is hosting a summit of the Brics group: Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa, in August. A two-day planning meeting of foreign ministers is due to take place this Thursday.

“This is a standard conferment of immunities that we do for all international conferences and summits held in South Africa, irrespective of the level of participation,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. ...

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/30/south-africa-grants-putin-and-brics-leaders-diplomatic-immunity-for-summit

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[SpamWyzer]

1. South Africa

supports war criminals. It is that clear. In fear of oil and other Russian goodies, the scheming "Zuid Africans" would sell their own mothers to play at being important. Blanket immunity is a crock. No government can issue such a bullshit grant. Arrest Putin or face a cut off of all US aid, seems fair. ICC says he is a war criminal. Live up to your obligations useless government of South Africa, corrupt as Russia.