Leaders of multiple African countries announced Feb. 1 that they have backed a "strategy of collective withdrawal" from the International Criminal Court [9] (ICC). Prior to this week's African Union [10] (AU) summit, the AU issued a document seen by Reuters that proposed a coordinated withdrawal [11] unless the ICC is reformed. The AU claims that the ICC is improperly focusing on prosecuting individuals from African countries, and its exit could be significant, as almost a third of the ICC's member countries are African. The AU and the ICC have had a tumultuous relationship over the course of the past year. In July an AU advisory board accused the ICC of narrowly focusing [12] its investigations on African government leaders since its inception in 2002. The AU's Economic Social and Cultural Council [13] (ECOSOCC) recommended that members quit the ICC should Rome Statute [14] signatories follow through with a proposed amendment allowing the prosecution and arrest of sitting heads of state. Human Rights Watch [15] stated that giving sitting leaders immunity would defeat the purpose of the ICC's creation [16].
From Jurist [17], Feb. 1. Used with permission.
Note: South Africa, Burundi and Gambia [18] have already withdrawn from the ICC [19] over the question. (HRW [16]) Especially at issue is the fate of Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir [20], who is wanted by the ICC for acts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
