Putin tries to intimidate British warfare crimes choose with arrest warrant

Karim Khan, the British barrister who spearheads the International Criminal Court, has been positioned on a wished record by Russia – two months after issuing a warrant for the arrest of the Russian President. An announcement issued by the ICC yesterday branded the transfer a bid to undermine what it referred to as its “lawful mandate to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes”.

Russia, which isn’t member of the court docket, has beforehand dismissed the warrant towards Mr Putin as “void”.

Mr Khan issued the arrest warrant for President Putin in March, with Putin accused of warfare crimes, particularly in relation to the illegal deportation of youngsters from Ukraine to Russia.

Russia‘s little one rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova can also be wished on comparable fees.

In extra of 16,000 kids are believed to have been forcibly transferred to Russia from Ukraine for the reason that begin of the warfare on February 24, 2022, Kyiv claims.

Russian state news company TASS cited information from the ministry’s database studying: “Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, date of birth March 30, 1970, British, is wanted under a Russian Criminal Code article.”

The ICC responded: “The International Criminal Court is aware and profoundly concerned about unwarranted and unjustified coercive measures reportedly taken against ICC officials, notably the Prosecutor of the Court and the judges of Pre-Trial Chamber II by the authorities of the Russian Federation.

“The ICC finds these measures unacceptable.”

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The court docket would stay “undeterred” within the conduct of its “lawful mandate” to make sure accountability for what it referred to as “the gravest crimes of concern to the international community as a whole”.

It continued: “The ICC stands firmly by its personnel and officials and, in line with the statement issued by the Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) earlier today, calls on all its States Parties and Rome Statute stakeholders to enhance their efforts to protect the Court, its officials and its personnel, and ensure it is capable to continue to deliver on its independent mandate.”

The ASP earlier voiced its “deep concern” on the scenario, including: “The Presidency of the Assembly regrets these acts of intimidation and unacceptable attempts to undermine the mandate of the International Criminal Court to investigate, sanction and prevent the commission of the gravest international crimes.

“The Presidency of the Assembly stands firmly by the International Criminal Court, its elected officials, and its personnel. Safeguarding the Court’s integrity, including its judicial and prosecutorial independence, is fundamental to the successful discharge of its mandate.

“We reiterate our full confidence in the ICC as an independent and impartial court of law.”

Russia final month adopted laws which successfully criminalises help to international and worldwide our bodies “to which Russia is not a party”, together with the ICC.

Balkees Jarrah, affiliate worldwide justice director at Human Rights Watch, mentioned: : “The new law is apparently aimed at further undermining international efforts to secure accountability for crimes committed by Russian nationals, including in Ukraine.

“The law in Russia is a new toxic addition to the growing array of draconian criminal legislation adopted in recent years in the name of ‘state security’.”

He continued: “The adoption of this disturbing law is another move by Russian authorities to systematically stifle any effort to seek justice and deter scrutiny of Russia’s conduct abroad.

“The international community should publicly make clear that they will remain undaunted in their support for judicial bodies like ICC and will not tolerate Russia’s attempted obstruction of their crucial work.”