South Africa’s government still plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Justice Minister Michael Masutha said on Wednesday, after a court ruled that it was unconstitutional to do so.
Masutha described October’s notification to the United Nations of its intent to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing the Hague-based court, as a policy decision.
He said the government would decide how to proceed, including a possible appeal, after reading the full judgment.
The ICC, which launched in July 2002 and has 124 member states, is the first legal body with permanent international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
South Africa notified the UN of its intent to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing the Hague-based court, last October.
The withdrawal would take place this October.
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