War in Ukraine: Criminal Court plans investigations - arrest warrant against Putin?

Created: 03/01/2022Updated: 03/01/2022 16:39

By: Sonja Thomaser

A Ukrainian protester holds a sign that reads "Hands off Ukraine".

© Mike Stewart / dpa

The International Criminal Court is investigating possible war crimes in the Ukraine war.

Vladimir Putin could end up in the dock in The Hague.

The Hague - Against the background of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will investigate alleged war crimes.

The chief prosecutor of the Hague Court, Karim Khan, announced that he would launch "an investigation into the situation in Ukraine as soon as possible".

The EU foreign policy representative Josep Borrell condemned the Russian attacks on the center of the second largest Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday (March 1, 2022) and called the "Russian bombing attacks on civilian facilities in Kharkiv" a violation "of martial law".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of "war crimes".

Vladimir Putin: Criminal Court Denounces 'Crimes Against Humanity'

ICC Chief Prosecutor Khan said on Monday (28 February 2022) that there were "plausible reasons" to believe that "both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed" in Ukraine since 2014.

Given the "widening of the conflict" in Ukraine*, the investigation "will also include any new alleged crimes falling within the purview of my office and committed by a party to the conflict in any part of Ukrainian territory," Khan said.

In 2014, the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army began in eastern Ukraine.

Last week, Russia recognized the independence of the "People's Republics" of Luhansk and Donetsk, proclaimed by the separatists.

Shortly thereafter, Russia* invaded Ukraine.

The then ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda had already complained about alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine in December 2020.

Vladimir Putin: Russia's "war of annihilation" against the civilian population in Ukraine

Ukraine accuses Russia of attacking civilian targets.

According to rescue workers, at least ten people were killed in the bombing of the center of Kharkiv on Tuesday.

More than 20 others were injured, the Ukrainian emergency services said.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov spoke of Russia's "war of annihilation" against the civilian population.

The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleg Sinegubov, released a video with images of an explosion.

"Today our enemy insidiously started bombing Kharkiv city center and residential areas," he said.

Ukraine war and the consequences for Vladimir Putin

Britain and its allies would be patient to hold the criminals accountable, said Britain's Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, a former war crimes prosecutor.

He referred to the long period of coming to terms with the wars of the 1990s in former Yugoslavia.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin*, Russian generals and soldiers there is “a very real risk that they will end up in the dock of a court in The Hague,” he added on the BBC.

Since Khan wants to extend the investigations of the International Criminal Court to the current war, Putin could be targeted by the judiciary.

Unlike the UN court, the Criminal Court based in The Hague prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.

Ukraine war: Criminal court wants to start investigations against Putin

Now, neither Russia nor Ukraine are contracting states.

But Ukraine has recognized the court's jurisdiction over its territory in two statements.

The investigation will be launched "as soon as possible," Khan said.

He still needs a court order to do that.

In the meantime, the State Party of Lithuania has also requested an investigation, including against the commander Putin and the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Don't expect quick judgments.

Proceedings before the court take years.

But investigations and, above all, international arrest warrants could be a deterrent and send an important signal.

(sot with dpa/afp) *