https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230525/have-you-arrested-them-sas-anc-head-denounces-wests-hypocrisy-over-putins-arrest-warrant-1059480867.html
'Have You Arrested Them?' SA's ANC Head Denounces West's Hypocrisy Over Putin's Arrest Warrant
'Have You Arrested Them?' SA's ANC Head Denounces West's Hypocrisy Over Putin's Arrest Warrant
Sputnik Africa
Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), has decried the West's hypocritical calls on the nation to arrest President Putin, recalling that no leader has been arrested for the Iraq invasion.
2023-05-25T18:13+0200
2023-05-25T18:13+0200
2023-05-25T18:22+0200
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Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party, has decried the West's hypocritical calls on the nation to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, recalling that no leader had been arrested for the Iraq invasion.In an interview with the UK media outlet, the South African politician was asked whether the government is going to arrest Putin, when he visits the country for the BRICS summit scheduled for August this year. The host suggested that South Africa as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is obliged to do so. However, Mbalula silenced the reporter after asking him which western leader had been arrested over the atrocities committed in Iraq. He noted that millions of people have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, but no leader had been held accountable for the crimes.The politician reiterated the country's non-aligned position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting that the West is "making a lot of noise about Putin" instead of forging peace between the two nations, a mission it failed to accomplish. Mbalula highlighted that the country, and his party in particular, would be ready to welcome President Putin anytime, but is constrained by its obligations to the ICC. Earlier this month, chairperson of the portfolio committee on international relations and cooperation Supra Mahumapelo stated that the presidency had established an inter-ministerial committee to address the problems arising from the ICC's arrest warrant for Putin.Moreover, South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has recently announced plans to introduce a parliamentary bill on the withdrawal of South Africa from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which, according to its leader, "has proven to be a biased instrument of global imperialism." Julius Malema vowed to protect Putin if he decides to visit South Africa. In mid-March, the Hague-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Lvova-Belova for allegedly illegally transferring children out of the combat zone in Ukraine. The Russian government stated that Moscow was not a party to the International Criminal Court and that the court's decision was legally null and void for the country.Furthermore, last week, the Russian Investigative Committee stated that it filed charges in absentia against a prosecutor and a judge of the ICC and put them on the wanted list.
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230524/south-africa-calls-for-multilateral-approach-to-ukraine-settlement-minister-says-1059445288.html
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230516/biased-instrument-of-global-imperialism-sas-eff-party-to-take-battle-against-icc-to-parliament-1059286191.html
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secretary-general of the african national congress (anc), south africa, international criminal court (icc), arrest warrant
secretary-general of the african national congress (anc), south africa, international criminal court (icc), arrest warrant
'Have You Arrested Them?' SA's ANC Head Denounces West's Hypocrisy Over Putin's Arrest Warrant
18:13 25.05.2023 (Updated: 18:22 25.05.2023) In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, citing alleged illegal transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. Moscow has slammed the court's move as unlawful.
Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's ruling party, has decried the West's hypocritical calls on the nation
to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, recalling that no leader had been arrested for the Iraq invasion.
In an interview with the UK media outlet, the South African politician was asked whether the government is going to arrest Putin, when he visits the country for the BRICS summit scheduled for August this year. The host suggested that South Africa as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is obliged to do so.
However, Mbalula silenced the reporter after asking him which western leader had been arrested over the atrocities committed in Iraq. He noted that millions of people have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, but no leader had been held accountable for the crimes.
"How many crimes have been committed by your country in Iraq? How many crimes have been committed by anyone else who is so vocal today in Iraq and Afghanistan? Have you arrested them? You have not," he stressed.
The politician reiterated the country's non-aligned position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, noting that the West is "making a lot of noise about Putin" instead of forging
peace between the two nations, a mission it failed to accomplish.
"Putin is a head of state, do you think that a head of state can just be arrested anywhere?" he wondered.
Mbalula highlighted that the country, and his party in particular, would be ready to welcome President Putin anytime, but is constrained by its obligations to the ICC.
"If it was according to the ANC, we would want President Putin to be here even tomorrow. We would welcome him here as part and parcel of BRICS, but we know that we are constrained by the ICC, in terms of doing that," said Mbalula.
Earlier this month, chairperson of the portfolio committee on international relations and cooperation Supra Mahumapelo stated that the presidency had established an inter-ministerial committee to address the problems arising from the ICC's arrest warrant for Putin.
Moreover, South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has recently
announced plans to introduce a parliamentary bill on the withdrawal of South Africa from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which, according to its leader, "has proven to be a biased instrument of global imperialism." Julius Malema vowed to protect Putin if he decides to visit South Africa.
In mid-March, the Hague-based ICC
issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Lvova-Belova for allegedly illegally transferring children out of the combat zone in Ukraine. The Russian government stated that Moscow was not a party to the International Criminal Court and that the court's decision was legally null and void for the country.
Furthermore, last week, the Russian Investigative Committee stated that it
filed charges in absentia against a prosecutor and a judge of the ICC and put them on the wanted list.
