BRICS Summit: Amnesty International SA, Ukrainian Association staging picket
As BRICS leaders assemble for their 15th summit in Johannesburg on Tuesday, some civil society groups staged a peaceful protest.
Amnesty International SA says they will gather outside the Sandton Convention Centre to call for an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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Moscow's sent its top diplomat to meet with the heads of Brazil, China, India and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Russia's Vladimir Putin, being sought by the International Criminal Court for his role in the Ukraine war, isn't attending in person.
He will take part in the summit online.
Amnesty's Shenilla Mohamed says Moscow needs to be held accountable for its actions.
She says the Ukrainian Association of SA and the Helen Suzman Foundation will be leading the protest action.
"The Russian government is not only violating international humanitarian and human rights law in its war of aggression against Ukraine but its crackdown on people in Russia who are speaking out about the invasion goes against the rights to freedom of expression and assembly which South Africa and its constitution pride itself on.
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"We are calling on world leaders attending the BRICS summit to uphold human rights by demanding that Russian authorities stop the act of aggression against Ukraine and end attacks on civilians now.
"They must also call on the Russian authorities to stop violating people’s right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression in their own countries.”
