24 Sep 2013

African Union to discuss withdrawal from ICC

3:32 pm on 24 September 2013

The African Union is to hold a special summit to discuss a mass withdrawal from the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The AU has previously accused the ICC of "hunting" African leaders and ignoring atrocities elsewhere.

The ICC says it is standing up for victims of crimes wherever they are.

The summit will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 13 October. A two-thirds vote will be required.

The ICC was set up in 2002 to prosecute crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. The BBC reports all eight cases it is currently investigating are in Africa.

President William Ruto of Kenya is currently on trial in The Hague and President Uhuru Kenyatta will go on trial in November.

Both men deny charges of organising violence following disputed elections in 2007, in which an estimated 1200 people died.