By Canadian Press

ICC chief prosecutor says he has ‘every confidence’ South Africa will arrest Putin

May 5, 2023 | 10:30 AM

OTTAWA — The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor says he has every confidence that South Africa will arrest Vladimir Putin when the Russian president is expected to attend an international summit there in August.

Karim Khan defended his decision to issue the arrest warrant at a news conference in Ottawa today, saying it is a “litmus test” for whether the international community will take collective action against Putin for Russia’s year-old assault against Ukraine. 

The court is trying to hold Putin personally responsible for war crimes including the abduction of Ukrainian children. 

He is expected to attend the BRICS summit as Russia’s representative, alongside the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa. 

South Africa’s ambassador to Canada recently told The Canadian Press that the country prefers the idea of peace talks to the West’s approach of trying to punish the Russian aggressors. 

Week-in-review: Property taxes, training doctors and changes to WestJet service

3h ago

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: May 17, 2024

22h ago

Week-in-review: A spring storm, Whoop-Up Days entertainment and housing for seniors

May 11, 2024

Khan says that, “God willing,” the South Africans will choose to act in line with the values adopted in their constitution, “for their own people and for the world.”

Still, high-ranking officials in the country, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, have cast doubt on the warrant being executed — in part because of South Africa’s strong ties to Russia.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed confidence Putin would be convicted of war crimes.

He said in The Hague that the Russian leader “deserves to be sentenced for (his) criminal actions right here in the capital of the international law.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2023. 

— With files from The Associated Press.

The Canadian Press