{{Zimbabwe says it will back calls for Africa to pull out of the International Criminal Court (ICC) during an African Union summit this weekend in Ethiopia.}}
The Southern African country has signed the Rome Statute that created the ICC but has not ratified it, which means it is not bound by the court’s obligations.
Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday accused the ICC of targeting African leaders while letting off their Western counterparts.
“History has taught us that colonialism was Europe colonising us. Now we need to go to Europe to be tried there by the same former colonial powers, down with that,” he said
“We are not even debating it (ICC protocol). I don’t think it will see the light of the day in terms of ratification.”
Some critics say President Robert Mugabe’s reluctance to step down is partly because he fears being dragged to the ICC for alleged human rights violations.
Mr Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe wants Africa to “stand up and stamp their authority” against ICC bias.
“Western leaders are left free but in Africa, look at Kenya, they are taking President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy who were elected by the people of Kenya, hauling them to go and face trials (at The Hague,” he said.
President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are being tried for allegedly playing a role in the 2007-2008 post-election violence.
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