Russia is set to remove its signature from the International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) founding document. The ICC was set up in the 2002 Rome Statute establishing its status and powers, and has 139 signatories but only 60 ratifications. The USA and Russia are amongst nations that have not ratified the document, along with Egypt, Israel, Iran, India, Pakistan and Turkey. The decision comes two days after a UN committee approved a resolution condemning Moscow’s “temporary occupation of Crimea” and abuses against some people in the region.

A speaker for the foreign ministry described the ICC’s work as one-sided and inefficient, and that he court did not live up to the hopes associated with it and did not become truly independent. Prince Zein bin Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN high commissioner for refugees, has called the actions of withdrawing from the ICC as a hypocritical act aimed at protecting vulnerable leaders and governments, and an act that threatens the judicial rights of citizens around the world. Russia’s intent to leave the ICC follows several African nations including South Africa. Some say that Russia’s actions may be explained as political manoeuvring to gain influence with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the current chair of the African Union Commission, who is likely to become the leaders of South Africa’s ANC (African National Congress party) in 2017.

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