Reply #48: Libya: Botswana Supports the Warrant of Arrest Issued by ICC

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Government of Botswana (Gaborone)

7 July 2011

press release


Gaborone — The Government of Botswana has taken due note of the position taken by the African Union not to cooperate with the warrant of arrest issued against Muammar Gaddafi by the International Criminal Court at the just-ended Assembly of the African Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.


Botswana wishes to reiterate her position in support of the warrant of arrest. This decision was not reached lightly. State and state-sponsored violence and blatant human rights violations by the Gaddafi regime on its own people, which started in February this year, continues unabated to this day.


This is despite international efforts calling on the regime to end its violent campaign against the Libyan people. This campaign of violence, which has resulted in massive loss of live, destruction of property and displacement of people is against all norms of civilized behavior and international humanitarian law. This is a crime against humanity and should therefore be unacceptable to all peace-loving people.


The Government of Botswana pledges to continue to uphold basic human and political rights and hereby calls on fellow members of the AU to support the ICC in carrying out its mandate to apprehend the Libyan leader, as a critical step towards alleviating the plights of the Libyan people, and paving the way for a new democratic dispensation in that country.


http://allafrica.com/stories/201107070633.html