Putin in a cell in The Hague?
Expert sees a real chance - and draws a comparison with Milosevic
Created: 2022-12-07Updated: 2022-12-07, 11:30 am
By: Stephanie Munk
Is Putin ending up in The Hague as a war criminal because of the Ukraine war?
An international law expert thinks it's possible: Putin's own people could be extradited.
Munich/Hamburg – Since the beginning of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, there have been calls for a trial in The Hague – especially for President Vladimir Putin.
But what are the chances of that actually happening?
International law expert Gerd Hankel from the Hamburg Institute for Social Research wrote a book on this subject entitled: “Putin in court?
Possibilities and Limits of International Criminal Justice”.
Hankel described to
Merkur.de from IPPEN.MEDIA
his assessment of a possible legal aftermath for Russia's president.
Putin in court?
"The environment could say at some point: The price is too high"
In your opinion, is there a chance that Putin will one day be convicted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the crimes of the Ukraine
war
?
You see, ex-Serbian President Milosevic was also in The Hague at some point, and he certainly didn't expect that either.
And one must not forget: Putin is not alone.
He has a political environment that asks the question every day: What is the price of the Ukraine war?
How much am I willing to personally pay for it?
This environment could perhaps say at some point: The price is too high.
We saw off Putin so that there would finally be peace.
International law expert Dr.
Gerd Hankel from the Hamburg Institute for Social Research published a book on the subject: "Putin in court?
Possibilities and Limits of International Criminal Justice”.
© Private
How could those around him do that: saw off Putin?
A coup would be the most likely scenario.
If this is very brutal, Putin will probably not survive it.
Or you put the president under house arrest and then think: what to do with him?
The problem if he stayed in the country, however, would be that he would always be the focal point for unrest and uprisings.
That's why those concerned could decide at some point: We'll hand him over to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
That would then be the same case as with Milosevic, who was extradited by his own people.
Putin has an awful lot to lose.
Is Putin aware of this danger?
Yes, I'm sure he's aware of that, he's reminded of it every day.
He is doomed to win.
That sounds dangerous.
This is very dangerous and could also lead to an escalation.
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Do you think it is unthinkable that Putin would give up and resign of his own accord?
I don't think that will happen.
He can't do it that easily.
Putin is not the only one.
He has created accomplices in the police, judiciary, business and so on who are involved in the crimes and who would fall with him.
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Ukraine War: Vladimir Putin in The Hague?
"Like a sword of Damocles"
How could one even hold Putin accountable under international law?
International criminal law is laid down in the Rome Statute and is applied by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Many states, including Germany, also have their own international criminal codes.
In terms of the facts, it says almost the same thing, it's about crimes against humanity, war crimes and so on.
But how could one approach Putin?
I know that indictments are already being drawn up in connection with the Ukraine war.
Some of them are already available, but are kept secret.
And there are already people on the wanted list.
As soon as these people leave Russia, you can get them.
It's like a sword of Damocles hanging over them, severely restricting their freedom of movement.
That goes up to the top management, up to Putin.
Putin has no immunity from the International Criminal Court.
Russia's head of state Vladimir Putin as a prisoner in The Hague: That's what people are demanding at a demonstration against the Ukraine war.
© Wolfgang Maria Weber/Imago
Are there examples of heads of state who have been convicted and punished in this way?
On the one hand, as I said, Milosevic, who was extradited to The Hague and tried before the International Criminal Court for the Yugoslav war.
Another example is Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir.
There were two arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court against him as incumbent President, for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The problem was that other African states, which had imposed international criminal law, did not arrest him when he traveled to their country, even though they were obliged to do so.
There was a lot of controversy at the time.
Al-Bashir has been in prison there since the coup in Sudan, and it's quite possible that he will still be extradited to The Hague.
Interview:
Stephanie Munk
