German foreign minister: 'International law is clear' regarding need to arrest war criminals

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that "international law is clear" regarding war criminals and called on South Africa to adhere to it if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin attended the upcoming BRICS summit, Zeit reported on June 2.  

"International law is clear on this point. War criminals and those responsible for waging aggressive wars will eventually be held accountable," Baerbock said, adding that Russia's war was not only a "European matter" but one that affected the whole world.

South African officials sparked fierce criticism on May 29 when they announced that diplomatic immunity would be granted to the participants of the upcoming BRICS summit, which includes officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The South African Foreign Ministry released a statement on May 30 claiming that it was a "standard" procedure meant "for the conference and not for specific individuals."

Following the announcement there has been speculation as to whether or not Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will attend despite the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant for his arrest.

The ICC issued arrest warrants on March 17 for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian official who is allegedly managing the forced deportations of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russian territory.

South Africa is one of the 123 countries party to the Rome Statute which established the ICC, meaning that it is obliged by international law to arrest Putin if he enters its territory.