Politicians in Burundi have overwhelmingly voted in support of a plan to withdraw from the international criminal court in what would be an unprecedented move for any country. According to the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, no state has ever withdrawn from the ICC, which prosecutes cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Out of 110 Burundian politicians, 94 voted in favour of the withdrawal plan, months after the ICC announced it would investigate the country’s ongoing violence. Some African countries have threatened a withdrawal from the Rome statute, the treaty that created the ICC, accusing the court of disproportionately targeting the continent. Some countries have called for a separate African court with jurisdiction over rights abuses.

Source: The Guardian October 12, 2016 13:52 UTC