Diplomatic immunity meant to protect BRICS summit, delegates’ – DIRCO
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation says the gazetted notice is a standard conferment of immunities for all international conferences and summits held in the country.
The department on Monday gazetted a notice providing diplomatic immunity to officials attending the BRICS summit in August.
The notice was declared in line with the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act.
The notice comes amid pressure on the government to make a decision on the attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes allegedly committed during his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
As a signatory to the Rome Statute, the government would be obliged to arrest Putin as soon as he sets foot in the country.
“The immunities are for the conference and not for specific individuals,” says International Relations spokesperson Clayson Monyela.
“They are meant to protect the conference and its attendees from the jurisdiction of the host country for the duration of the conference.”
Monyela says the immunities do not override warrants that have been issued.
“These immunities do not override any warrant (of arrest) that may have been issued by any international tribunal against any attendee of the conference.”
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