arrest warrant - The African Mirror

Jul

2023

Putin discusses grain deal, awkward BRICS summit with Ramaphosa

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in which they discussed the Black Sea grain deal, due to expire on Monday, and a summit in South Africa next month, the Kremlin said. Ramaphosa finds himself in an awkward position as host of the BRICS summit because of an arrest warrant issued against Putin in March by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accused him of the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. The warrant means member states of the ICC - of which South Africa is one - are obliged to arrest him if…

Jun

2023

By WENDELL ROELF

BRICS ministers put on show of strength as Putin arrest warrant looms large

NEWS

BRICS foreign ministers asserted their bloc's ambition to rival Western powers but their talks in South Africa were overshadowed by questions over whether Russia's president would be arrested if he attended a summit in August. South Africa's foreign minister Naledi Pandor said her country was mulling options if Vladimir Putin, the subject of a war crimes arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), came to the planned BRICS summit in Johannesburg. As a member of the ICC, South Africa would theoretically be required to arrest Putin, and Pandor was bombarded with questions about that as she arrived for…

Jun

2023

By The African Mirror

Russia dares the West, signals Putin will visit SA

NEWS

THE Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia would take part at the "proper level" in a planned summit in South Africa of the BRICS nations, responding to a question on whether President Vladimir Putin would attend the gathering. South Africa, a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), would theoretically be required to arrest Putin under a warrant issued by the court for his arrest for alleged war crimes. However, it has invited Putin to the August 22-24 summit of the BRICS grouping of emerging economies, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. "Russia attaches enormous importance to…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

SA’s 2nd attempt to withdraw from ICC

NEWS

CARIEN DU PLESSIS SOUTH Africa's governing African National Congress will aim to repeal the country's membership of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Cyril Ramaphosa said, the second time it has attempted to do so. The party's decision at a weekend meeting of its national executive committee came after the ICC issued an arrest warrant on March 17 against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. "The governing party, the African National Congress, has taken that decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC, largely…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Putin visits Russian-occupied Mariupol after ICC issues arrest warrant

WORLD

LIDIA KELLY and MARK TREVELYAN A day after being accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court, President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the scene of some of the worst devastation of his year-old invasion. State television showed extended footage of Putin being shown around the city on Saturday night, meeting rehoused residents and being briefed on reconstruction efforts by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin. The port city of Mariupol became known around the world as a byword for death and destruction as much of it was reduced to ruins in the first…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

SA’s big test: Will Putin be arrested?

NEWS

SOUTH Africa is aware of its legal obligation, a spokesperson for President Cyril Ramaphosa said, referring to a proposed visit by Vladimir Putin after an international court issued an arrest warrant against the Russian leader. Russian President Putin was expected to visit South Africa in August to attend a BRICS summit. "We are, as the government, cognisant of our legal obligation. However, between now and the summit we will remain engaged with various relevant stakeholders," spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said. While there has been no official confirmation of Putin's visit, he has been expected to attend the 15th BRICS summit, as…