Three West African countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.

The countries cited as the reason for their withdrawal that "the International Criminal Court has become the executioner of oppressors and racists."

The leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea, which are all military-ruled countries, announced their withdrawal in a joint statement, saying: "The court has become a tool for the enforcement of racist laws; therefore, we will no longer cooperate with them," the BBC reported.

The three countries, saying that "the court itself has become a hub for criminals and a breeding ground for crime," have confirmed their withdrawal from the organization.

The ICC was set up in 2002 to legally pursue cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.

A country's withdrawal from the ICC officially takes effect one year after the UN is notified.

They had rejected Ecowas' demands for them to restore democratic rule.