A South African judge on Sunday ordered authorities to prevent Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is in South Africa for an African Union summit, from leaving the country because of an international order for his arrest, human rights activists said.

Mr. al-Bashir appeared for a group photo with other African leaders at the summit in Johannesburg on Sunday, wearing a blue three-piece suit, a tie and a smile as cameras flashed.

Earlier Sunday, a South African judge ordered authorities to prevent Mr. al-Bashir from leaving South Africa because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court, human rights activists said on Sunday.

The African National Congress, which is South Africa’s ruling party, said the South African government granted immunity “for all (summit) participants as part of the international norms for countries hosting such gathering of the A.U. or even the United Nations.”

 

Source: thehindu