25th June, 2015
The South African government on Thursday threatened to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after a row over the court’s attempt to have Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrested in Johannesburg.
Justice Minister, Jeff Radebe, said after a cabinet meeting in Cape Town that a group of ministers would review South Africa’s ICC membership to ensure complied with the country’s obligations to African Union (AU).
The minister said South Africa may as a last resort consider withdrawing from the ICC.
Radebe argued that South Africa was right not to arrest al-Bashir due to his diplomatic immunity.
He said al-Bashir was not a on a visit to South Africa rather for a meeting of the AU, “so how do we arrest him”.
Al-Bashir took power in a bloodless coup in 1989 and has won three elections since.
In the last poll, conducted in April and boycotted by the main opposition parties, official results showed him winning 94 per cent of the vote.