PRETORIA: South Africa said on Friday it was quitting the International Criminal Court (ICC) because membership conflicted with diplomatic immunity laws, dealing a new blow to the struggling court and angering the political opposition.

Pretoria last year announced its intention to leave after the ICC criticised it for disregarding an ICC order to arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide and war crimes, when he visited South Africa.

The United Nations confirmed receipt of South Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC, which will take effect one year from Oct 19.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2016