south african court rules icc withdrawal unconstitutional
Sunday 2 February 2025
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

South African court rules ICC withdrawal unconstitutional

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice South African court rules ICC withdrawal unconstitutional

Members of Parliament and ministers cheer South African President Jacob Zuma in the South African parliament
Johannesburg - Arab Today

South African court ruled Wednesday that the government’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court without Parliament’s approval was unconstitutional.
A high court judge instructed the government to revoke its notice of withdrawal from the human rights tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands. South Africa has been set to become the first country to leave the tribunal that prosecutes the world’s worst atrocities.
South Africa’s main opposition party had gone to court, saying the government’s notice was illegal because Parliament was not consulted. “South Africa does not want to be lumped together with pariah states who have no respect for human rights,” the Democratic Alliance said in a statement Wednesday.
A government statement said it would “reflect on the judgment” before deciding whether to appeal.
South Africa’s withdrawal announcement last year followed a 2015 dispute over a visit by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur. Al-Bashir was allowed to leave South Africa even though a local court ordered authorities to arrest him.
Under the Rome Statute that created the ICC, signatory countries have a legal obligation to arrest anyone sought by the tribunal. South Africa said the treaty contradicts its diplomatic immunity law and prevents the country from acting as a regional peacemaker, a role that could require it to host adversaries on its own soil.
The government said after its notice of withdrawal that a withdrawal bill would go to Parliament, where the ruling African National Congress party has a majority.
South Africa notified the United Nations secretary-general that it would withdraw from the treaty that created the ICC, alarming international human rights groups and raising fears of an African exodus from the court, which has more than 120 member states.
Some African countries have argued that the court has unfairly targeted their continent and have instead advocated strengthening their own institutions to deal with threats to human rights. All but one of the court’s full-scale investigations are in Africa, though the majority were referred to the court by the African countries themselves and two by the UN Security Council.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had said he regretted South Africa’s decision to withdraw from the ICC and expressed hope that the government would reconsider it. A country’s withdrawal becomes effective a year after formally notifying the UN chief. In South Africa’s case, that is expected in October.
Backers of the court were dismayed by South Africa’s move to withdraw, especially after former President Nelson Mandela had been a strong advocate for the court’s creation.
The Democratic Alliance statement echoed concerns that the country under current President Jacob Zuma had drifted far from its ideals. “This is a victory for the rule of law and indeed for our country’s human rights-based foreign policy which Zuma and his cronies have tried so hard to depart from,” it said of the court’s ruling.

Source: Arab News

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

south african court rules icc withdrawal unconstitutional south african court rules icc withdrawal unconstitutional

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

south african court rules icc withdrawal unconstitutional south african court rules icc withdrawal unconstitutional

 



GMT 05:17 2024 Wednesday ,07 February

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 06:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Volkswagen clinches record sales

GMT 09:54 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters

GMT 06:28 2017 Sunday ,05 November

Trump lands in Japan at start of Asia tour

GMT 20:18 2017 Tuesday ,19 September

Belgium shatter Aussie dream, meet France

GMT 11:46 2018 Sunday ,14 January

'No hope of survivors' in Iranian tanker fire

GMT 03:13 2017 Saturday ,07 October

Cilic pummels Uchiyama to reach Tokyo quarters

GMT 05:13 2017 Wednesday ,05 July

Tesla's budget car is finally on the way

GMT 07:41 2017 Monday ,03 July

Mohammed bin Rashid issues decision

GMT 14:43 2016 Monday ,14 November

Toyota agrees to $3.4bn rust dispute settlement

GMT 11:10 2017 Friday ,23 June

UAE-based humanitarian workers trained

GMT 22:46 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

Carreno Busta storms into US Open semifinals

GMT 07:14 2017 Monday ,11 September

Artillery shells mercenaries in Dhalee

GMT 07:08 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Lactalis feels heat as families rebuff

GMT 07:36 2017 Sunday ,05 November

Police intervene as demonstrators square off

GMT 17:31 2017 Monday ,13 November

Purists alarmed over moves to make French less macho

GMT 19:16 2017 Monday ,13 February

China's Logistics Activity Stable in January

GMT 10:43 2016 Sunday ,18 September

Several Killed in Central African Republic Violence

GMT 11:34 2017 Saturday ,04 March

Australia bowl out India for 189 in second Test

GMT 01:46 2016 Sunday ,04 December

PM discusses regulations of importing poultry

GMT 12:19 2016 Wednesday ,31 August

Ventura set for Italy debut with France

GMT 20:57 2017 Friday ,17 March

Israeli Drone Crashes in Northern Gaza
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice