The International Criminal Court (CPI) issued this Friday an arrest warrant against the Russian president Vladimir Putin. The case has to do with the investigation carried out by the ICC for the illegal deportation of children in areas occupied by Russia in Ukraine.
(Read here: International Criminal Court will open two war crimes cases against Russia)
“Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born October 7, 1952, President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation of population (children) and illegal transfer of population (children) from the occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia Federation (under Articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute)“, says the statement published on the official website of the ICC.
The arrest warrant he issued also involves a second person. Is about Maria Alexeyevna Lvova-BelovaCommissioner for the Rights of the Child in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.
Mrs. Lvova-Belova “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation of population (children) and illegal transfer of population (children) from the occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under Articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8( 2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute)“adds the official information from the ICC.
There are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect is responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation (…), to the detriment of Ukrainian children
For the Court, the crimes “allegedly committed” in the occupied territory of Ukraine and date from at least February 24, 2022, when Moscow ordered its troops to invade Ukrainian soil.
But, what are the bases, according to the ICC, to order these two arrests? The ICC ensures that, based on the requests made by the Prosecutor’s Office on February 22, 2023, “there are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect is responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation (…), to the detriment of the Ukrainian children”.
The Court also details that these orders are generally secret to protect the victimswitnesses and the ongoing investigation into Ukraine, but agreed to release the names of the suspects because “the conduct addressed in the present situation allegedly continues” and making this information public could contribute to the prevention of further crimes.
It is worth mentioning that, although Ukraine has already initiated actions against Russia at the ICC, this court, based in The Hague, can only judge crimes of aggression against another country if the State responsible is one of the signatories of the treaty that promoted its creation, in those who do not count Russia.
For its part, The Hague can judge war crimes and crimes against humanity that may have been committed in Ukraine.
Both Ukraine and Russia have already reacted to this ICC decision. From kyiv, authorities applauded the arrest warrants, saying this is “just the beginning.” While in Moscow, the Kremlin described the Court’s measure as “null and meaningless”.
Background
Since March 2022, the ICC announced that it has opened a case to investigate possible crimes against humanity in the war in Ukraine. And, in fact, a few days ago the American newspaper The New York Times reported that the Court was going to open two cases for these episodes.
These are the first international charges that have been presented since the beginning of the conflict, on February 24, 2022, and are given after months of work by special teams to investigate war crimes, according to the newspaper.
Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khanyou must bring the investigated charges before a panel of investigating magistrates, who before issuing arrest warrants will decide whether legal standards have been met or whether further evidence is needed.
The Kremlin, official residence of the president Vladimir Putinhas denied the accusations of war crimes, however there are international and Ukrainian investigators who have gathered compelling evidence of a series of atrocities since the first days of the invasion, recalls the media TI have New York Times.
Experts admit that Moscow is unlikely to hand over the suspects to court.
CARLOS JOSE REYES
INTERNATIONAL SUB-EDITOR
TIME
@CarlosJ_Reyes
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