Burundi has withdrawn it’s membership from the International Criminal Court (ICC) with effect on Friday October 27.
It has become the first country to leave the ICC that prosecutes the world’s worst atrocities.
This comes a year after Burundi lodged on official notice to quit the body accusing it of deliberately targeting African prosecution.
On Friday, Burundi’s justice minister called the ICC withdrawal “a great achievement” in reinforcing the country’s independence. Aimee Laurentine Kanyana also called on police and prosecutors to respect human rights so that “white people” won’t have “false proofs to rely on in accusing Burundi.”
Burundi, in 2015, experienced political unrests caused after President Pierre Nkurunzize decided to run for presidency for the third time, leading to protests from opposition which referred it to unconditional.
U.N. commission of inquiry report said crimes against humanity, including killings and sexual violence, are still being committed in Burundi and it asked the ICC to open an investigation as soon as possible. Alleged perpetrators include top officials in Burundi’s National Intelligence Services and police force, said the U.N. report, based on interviews with more than 500 witnesses.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country.
Fadi El-Abdallah the spokesperson for the ICC told one newspaper that “article 127 states that withdrawal does not affect the jurisdiction of the ICC over the crimes that have been committed” while the country was a member.
However the withdrawal of this East African country doesn’t stop the international court to carry investigations on it.
ICC notes that for the case of Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, one of the ‘most wanted’, there is difficulty of getting a non-member to co-operate in surrendering suspects.
The commission has 122 member states, 34 of which are African Countries.
African countries like Kenya, South Africa have made similar threats to withdraw their membership.
South Africa’s withdrawal was revoked in March. Gambia’s new government reversed its withdrawal in February.
