Global petition to arrest Putin has over 300 000 signatures – DA lends its support to take it to One million

9 May 2023

A global online petition on the platform Avaaz, which is calling on the ANC government to honor its obligations under the Rome statute and arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, should he attend the BRICS summit in August, has garnered over 300 000 signatures.

The DA has today taken a decision to lend its support to the petition and encourage all South Africans, appalled by Russian aggression in Ukraine, to lend their support and sign the petition. Once the petition reaches one million, the DA will join the petition organizers in submitting it straight to the Union buildings.

Putin has committed heinous crimes against humanity in Ukraine and it is completely irresponsible for the ANC government to still be debating on whether to enforce the arrest warrant that was issued by the International Criminal Court against him. Putin must answer for war crimes and the government must do everything possible to arrest him as soon as he steps foot on South African soil.

Despite Russia accounting for as little as 0.3% of South Africa’s trade ties, the ANC is willing to disregard South Africa’s crucial domestic interests in order to protect an alleged war criminal and shore up further political patronage with Moscow.

South Africa now faces the real risk of being expelled from its single most important trade treaty – AGOA, all because the ANC wants to bend to the will of a Kremlin war monger and protect the donations that are being channeled to the ANC by Russian oligarchs. South Africa cannot be held to ransom by ANC lawlessness in contravention of our Constitution and obligations under international law.

Issued by Emma Louise Powell, DA Shadow Minister for International Relations and Cooperation, 9 May 2023