Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir who has been invited to the World Cups opening ceremony in Johannesburg, will risk the likelihood of being arrested if he attends.
Jacob Zuma, South Africas president, said that although his country has extended an official invitation to President Omar Al-Bashir, Al-Bashir faces the possibility of being arrested for alleged war crimes in the Sudanese region of Darfur.
Zuma added that the African Union has requested the ICC to put off any legal action against Al-Bashir at the moment since this will cause major disruptions in the country. He added, South Africa honors Criminal Law.
South Africa is a signatory of the International Criminal Courts statue which means that it must arrest leaders who visit the country.
In a recent interview with TIME, Mr. Al-Bashir said that restrictions on his travels were fairly limited, "A President has his deputies, assistants and his specialized ministers, so it's not necessary for [him] to travel to every country. But I have traveled all necessary travels."
Al-Bashir believes that the International Criminal Court is a "is a tool to terrorize countries that the West thinks are disobedient."
Abayomi Azikiwe, an editor for a well known news wire publication in Africa, believes that the Sudan should not be isolated for alleged crimes that are considered minor when compared to other countries.
There is well-documented evidence of torture and other crimes against humanity leveled by the U.S. against people in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia. Yet the ICC or other Western-based and -controlled institutions have taken no action against these horrendous crimes. said Azikiwe.
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