Justice Min Says S. Africa Considers Extending Diplomatic Immunity For Visiting Leaders

South African Justice Minister Ronald Lamola told parliament that the government will look at the way the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court, was domesticated in the country to explore whether it is possible to extend diplomatic immunity to visiting heads of state.

• Lamola's declaration comes amid a controversy surrounding an invitation to the upcoming BRICS summit extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the ICC issued a warrant of arrest against the Russian leader.
• Speaking to lawmakers, Lamola reiterated familiar criticisms of the ICC, arguing that “the fact that an investigation into the atrocities in Palestine has not been completed, while the one in Ukraine, opened later, has already had a referral, is an injustice.”
• An earlier report published by the Sunday Times suggested that South Africa concluded that there was no legally viable option for it to host Putin without having to detain him, which is why it started exploring the option of the Russian President attending the BRICS summit virtually.