‘Won’t arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he arrives for BRICS meet’: South Africa ignores ICC warrant

New Delhi, May 30

Resisting intense western pressure, South Africa will not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrives there to attend the BRICS summit scheduled to be held in August.

Following hectic diplomatic wrangling and persuasion that saw Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov travelling to Africa and the Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, calling on External Affairs Minister for consultations on the issue, South Africa said it would provide diplomatic immunity to all the participants who arrive in the country for BRICS-related events.

These would include the BRICS summit, which will see Russian President Vladimir Putin arriving to South Africa despite an arrest warrant against him, served by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes relating to the Ukrainian invasion. As an ICC member, South Africa is obligated to arrest Putin if he attends the event.

Kremlin has indicated that Putin will take part in the summit. “Russia will take part in this summit at a proper level,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov when asked whether Putin will participate in the summit.

S Jaishankar, India’s Foreign Affairs Minister, will be attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting on June 1 and 2 in Cape Town.

Grants immunity

• South Africa has granted immunity to all participants, including Putin, other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in country
• The immunities in terms of the United Nations Convention grant immunity from personal arrest or detention
• Arrest warrant against Putin was issued by International Criminal Court in March, and South Africa as a member is obliged to arrest him when he is in the country