Criminal responsibility is a question of answerability; it declares certain actions to be wrong and calls those who are accused of having perpetrated such wrongs to answer for their actions.
Nelson Mandela (right), with former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, saw human rights as central to South Africa’s foreign affairs.
Reuters
South Africa’s decision to leave the ICC suggests that its foreign policy is caught in a dilemma between lofty ideas, an unsettled identity crisis, and shifting priorities in a complex world.
Rumours of the ICC’s imminent demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Uhuru Kenyatta, then Kenya’s Finance Minister (rear) appears at the International Criminal Court in 2011. Kenyatta, now President and off the hook, is weighing his country’s options.
Reuters/Bas Czerwinski
It is a question of when, not whether, Kenya will pull out of the ICC. But it is also clear that there is some incentive for Nairobi not to withdraw immediately
Former Chadian leader Hissene Habre being escorted in to stand trial at the Palais de Justice in Dakar, Senegal in 2015. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison in 2016 by judges of the Extraordinary African Chambers for crimes against humanity, rape, sexual slavery.
EPA/Stringer
There are fears that the withdrawal of countries from the ICC would mark the end of international criminal justice in Africa. This need not be the case.
Presidents Jacob Zuma and Uhuru Kenyatta. Their countries are at the forefront of efforts to have Africa leave the ICC.
GCIS
Ironically the campaign to withdraw from the ICC was mainly initiated by the very same governments and heads of state that had earlier referred cases to the ICC when it suited their own interests.
South Africa’s planned withdrawal from the ICC is considered a detraction from Nelson Mandela’s “inspiring legacy”.
Jim Bourg/Reuters
The ICC has made important advances by investigating cases outside Africa and completing ones that further define what is not allowed in war. South Africa’s withdrawal is concerning, but not fatal.
Omar al-Bashir (centre, blue suit) at the infamous 2015 African Union summit in Johannesburg.
EPA/Kim Ludbrook
Arguably Africa’s most powerful diplomatic player, South Africa is now backing out of the world’s most important mechanism for bringing war criminals to justice.
Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir during a rally against the ICC.
Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters
The South African government’s decision to withdraw from the ICC should not be seen in isolation. The African Union has called on its member states to withdraw from the court.
A burnt ancient manuscript at the Ahmed Baba Centre for Documentation and Research, in Timbuktu.
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
The ICC sentence against Al-Mahdi for destroying ancient artifacts at Timbuktu sends the right message that the international community will not tolerate the destruction of heritage sites.
The International Criminal Court at The Hague.
Reuters/Jerry Lampen
We’re unlikely to see the Syrian leader face charges for crimes against humanity any time soon.
A survivor stands in the graveyard where a church was torched in Eldoret, 300km west of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. The consequences of hate speech are evident in the country.
Reuters/Noor Khamis
The violence that often accompanies political disputes or elections is testimony to the efficacy of hate propaganda as a tool in the political arsenal of Kenyan politicians.
Former Chadian dictator Hissène Habré at his trial in Senegal for crimes against humanity.
EPA
The trial of Chad’s former dictator could provide a template for prosecutions of other African despots. Its success could be seen as a victory for African justice over international approaches.
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo enters the court room of the ICC.
Reuters/Jerry Lampen
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo has been convicted for crimes of sexual violence during war in the Central African Republic. It’s a significant case, but not the historic victory it’s been hailed as.
How can the International Criminal Court serve justice in a climate of intense rumour and bitter suspicion?
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma being welcomed on his arrival in Khartoum by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir earlier this year.
Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah
South Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC could have mere symbolic value. The country will continue to have obligations to binding decisions taken by the UN Security Council – including those pertaining to the court.