Amnesty International criticises Pretoria over Mengistu

Amnesty International says that South Africa failed to fulfil it human rights obligations by failing to press charges against the former Ethiopian dictator, Mengistu Haile-Mariam.

"The South African government has singularly failed in its obligations under both its national constitution and international law," Amnesty said in a statement.

"The government, at the very least, should have ensured that Mengistu Haile Mariam had remained in the country until the National Director of Public Prosecutions had undertaken an investigation into his possible prosecution in South Africa or extradition to another state." Amnesty International said
that the South African government must explain "its failure" to keep Mengistu in the country until he was charged or extradited to another country for a fair trial.