The arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin is unprecedented. According to the ICC, Putin has committed war crimes and should be arrested. However, they are hoping that Putin will be arrested once he arrives in South Africa because South Africa is a member of the International Criminal Court. However, this is something that has been discussed since the warrant was issued.
However, based on what it appears and what South African Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor has said, Putin is welcomed in South Africa. She claims that the ICC has two standards. But one thing is certain about Russia: they are not afraid. They have even threatened the ICC that they will bomb that courts and even take legal actions against those judges who were involved in issuueing his warrant of arrest. If ICC want Putin arrested they know his country and they should just go there and arrest him, and let’s see what will happen.
But Russia has not issued threats to ICC only. They are even threatening any country that think that they will arrest Vladimir Putin. Russia’s Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev says that any country that arrest Putin will be declaring a war against Russia. This is not a country to mess with and this can be seen by what is happening in UkraineBut now South Africans are concerned because president.
As it stand it is not clear where the government stand when it comes to this warrant of are at issued by ICC. But one thing for sure is that Ramaphosa is going to do heavy consultations as we know that he is very good in doing that. But many South Africans want Putin to come into the country because they believe in his leadership.