Putin faces doable arrest if he attends BRICS summit in South Africa: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin could possibly be arrested if he attends an financial summit being hosted in South Africa within the coming months, in keeping with a report.

The BRICS financial bloc, led by Russia and China, is internet hosting its August 2023 financial summit in South Africa — which is a member of the International Criminal Court.

In talking with South Africa’s Sunday Times, a senior authorities official mentioned the nation would not have a alternative however to arrest Putin if he chooses to attend the BRICS summit in individual.

“There is not any possibility to not arrest Putin — if he comes right here, we now have to arrest him,” a senior authorities official mentioned. “The solely possibility we now have is for him to attach through Teams or Zoom from Moscow.”

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT ISSUES PUTIN ARREST WARRANT OVER CHILD DEPORTATIONS FROM UKRAINE

The arrest of a Wall Street Journal reporter by Vladimir Putin’s regime has triggered worldwide outrage. (Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool through AP, File)

The ICC issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest in March, stating that there is motive to imagine that he “bears accountability for the battle crime of illegal deportation of inhabitants and that of illegal switch of inhabitants from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian youngsters.”

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned in late April that Russia will take part within the BRICS summit, however did not add any particulars, in keeping with the Moscow Times.

“Of course, we are going to participate within the summit to be held in South Africa. Of course, this shall be preceded by our bilateral contacts with the South Africans, we are going to make clear their place,” Peskov mentioned.

NEW WORLD DISORDER: CHINA, RUSSIA BLOC SHORES UP INFLUENCE AS COUNTRIES EAGER TO JOIN, INCLUDING US ALLIES

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, arrive to pose for a bunch image in the course of the tenth BRICS Summit, July 26, 2018, on the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.  (Gianluigi Guercia/Pool/AFP through Getty Images, File)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned on April 25 that the African National Congress determined to withdraw the nation from the ICC, which his workplace later walked again, in keeping with the AFP.

“The presidency needs to make clear that South Africa stays a signatory (to the ICC),” Ramaphosa’s workplace mentioned afterward April 25, in keeping with the report. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, middle, hosts the 14th BRICS Summit through video hyperlink in Beijing, China, June 23, 2022.  (Rao Aimin/Xinhua through Getty Images, File)

The workplace added that the “clarification follows an error in a remark made throughout a media briefing held by the governing African National Congress.”

According to South Africa’s Sunday Times, the nation’s overseas ministry obtained non-public authorized recommendation which acknowledged that if Putin wasn’t arrested whereas he is in South Africa, it will be a breach of the nation’s personal legal guidelines.

Fox News’ Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.