South African government withdraws International Crimes Bill: Only a first step!
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The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) welcomes the government’s decision to withdraw the International Crimes Bill. This sends an important message to the international community that South Africa remains committed to its obligations towards the International Criminal Court (ICC) and holding perpetrators of atrocity crimes accountable.
SALC’s Executive Director, Anneke Meerkotter, emphasised that:
“The government’s decision to withdraw the bill and renew its commitment to the principles of the ICC is a crucial first move. South Africa’s political and economic ties with other governments, heads of state, or any other senior government official cannot and should never again be an obstacle to fighting impunity for atrocity crimes.”
SALC calls on the South African government to take its obligations under international law, including the Rome Statute, seriously and live up to those principles. SALC further encourages the government to participate in the ongoing reform process at the International Criminal Court. While South Africa’s relationship with the ICC has been complicated after the years that SALC initiated the Al-Bashir litigation requesting the South African state to arrest the sitting President of Sudan at the time, this move by the government appears to be a step in the right direction.