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African Union to meet regarding Kenya ICC cases
ICC prosecutors have accused Kenyatta and Ruto, alongside radio journalist Joshua arap Sang, of fomenting violence after a disputed election in December 2007. The three deny the charges.
Some neighbors of east Africa’s biggest economy have petitioned the ICC alongside Ruto’s lawyers for him to be excused from attending all ICC hearings.
A diplomat at the African Union said Kenya may ask that Kenyatta and Ruto not to attend the entire trial.
“There is a belief shared by the Kenyans and African states that the leaders appearing in the trials risks destabilizing the country,” said the diplomat who declined to be named.
In May, the African Union backed a request by Kenya for the trials to be referred back to Kenya, on the grounds that the ICC hearings risked raising tensions and destabilizing its economy.
Officials from some of the African Union’s biggest member states, told reporters their governments had no plans so far to leave the ICC.
“We are far from that sort of position. There is a big if,” said South African Foreign Ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela when asked if there were plans for a walk-out.
