The Democratic Alliance (DA) succeeded in compelling the South African government to commit to executing an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The DA raised concerns about the government’s obligations as a signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute and sought to avoid a situation similar to the 2015 incident involving former Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir. Although Putin has indicated that he will not attend next month’s BRICS summit in South Africa, the court’s decision remains noteworthy.
In a brief hearing at the North Gauteng High Court, all parties agreed that the matter would not proceed further. The court noted that the South African government had completed consultations with the ICC and was obligated to execute the ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin. South Africa has been a signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute since 1998.
DA leader John Steenhuisen expressed that the entire situation could have been avoided if the South African government had taken a firm stance on Putin’s visit from the outset. While the court’s decision ensures the government’s commitment to the arrest warrant, it remains uncertain whether Putin’s attendance at the summit would have been a practical possibility in any case. The Justice Department has been directed to cover the legal costs incurred by the DA in bringing this application.