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Burundian president signs decree on country's pullout of ICC

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has signed a decree on the country's pullout of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The decree signed by Nkurunziza Tuesday abrogated the law ratified by Burundi on Aug. 30, 2003 on adhering to the Rome Statute of the ICC.

The Rome Statute was adopted in Rome, Italy on July 17, 1998.

The promulgation of the decree follows a bill passed on Oct. 12, 2016 by both chambers of the Burundian parliament.

During the adoption of the bill at the parliament, Burundian Justice Minister Aimee Laurentine said: "The International Criminal Court (ICC) has become an instrument of superpowers to fight against African countries. That is why we (Burundi) want to leave the ICC."

Burundi's pullout of the ICC follows its decision last week to suspend all cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country following a report by three UN independent experts on "gross and abundant" human rights violations in Burundi. Enditem