Amnesty International on Friday described the decision by the South African government to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a “deep betrayal” of victims of human rights atrocities across the world.
“South Africa’s sudden notice to withdraw from the ICC is deeply disappointing. In making this move, the country is betraying millions of victims of the gravest human rights violations and undermining the international justice system,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for Africa.
“South Africa’s support for the ICC, after the country suffered through decades of apartheid, was an important step towards creating rights respecting societies around the world.”
The global NGO called on the South African Parliament to convene urgently to reconsider the decision.
Earlier on Friday, Justice Minister Michael Masutha announced that the South African government has informed the United Nations of its intention to withdraw from the ICC. He said the withdrawal would take effect one year after the UN Secretary-General received the notification.
Masutha, however, said South Africa remained committed to holding accountable those who have committed crimes against humanity and other grave crimes.
In a letter delivered to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that South Africa’s membership of the ICC was interfering with its peace mediation efforts in Africa.
This was an apparent reference to the ICC’s indictment of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged atrocities in Darfur.
The South African government was found by the country’s own Supreme Court of Appeal to have failed to uphold South African law by not arresting him when he visited South Africa in June last year.
Belay called on the South African government not to abandon its role as a champion of human rights and justice, but to rather engage the ICC.
“The Rome Statute is a covenant between countries that they will no longer allow crimes under international law, including apartheid, to be committed with impunity,” he said.
“South Africa must constructively engage with the ICC to resolve any legitimate concerns it may have rather than taking actions that will only serve to bring the country into disrepute and harm the global fight for peace and justice. ”
South Africa Today – South Africa News
