South African Cyril Ramaphosa, has stated that, arresting Putin would constitute a “declaration of war on Russia.”
This was written by Ramaphosa in court papers filed on Tuesday as the government wrangles over hosting Putin.
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The arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, would be a declaration of war on Russia.
Putin has been invited to a BRICS summit in Johannesburg next month, but he is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest order, which Pretoria, as an ICC member, is expected to enforce if he attends.
“Russia has made it abundantly clear that arresting its sitting President would be a declaration of war,” he said.
“It would be inconsistent with our Constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia,” he added, adding that such an action would be contrary to his duty to safeguard the country.
The arrest would also jeopardise a South African-led mission to settle the conflict in Ukraine and “foreclose any peaceful solution,” Ramaphosa wrote.
South Africa is requesting an exception from ICC standards because carrying out the arrest would jeopardise the “security, peace, and order of the state,” according to Ramaphosa.
Last month, Ramaphosa led a seven-country African peace team to Kyiv and St. Petersburg, including leaders from Egypt, Senegal, and Zambia.
According to the ICC treaty, when a member country detects concerns that may hamper the execution of a judgement, it should consult the court, and that the court may not continue with an arrest request if doing so would require a state to violate international diplomatic immunity laws.
South Africa is the current chair of the BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China and sees itself as a counter-balance to Western economic dominance.
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The ICC is looking for Putin in connection with allegations that Russia illegally transferred Ukrainian children.
In recent appearances with local media, South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile stated that the government has been unsuccessful in persuading Putin not to visit.
