Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Friday expressed concern about Russia’s attack on Ukraine, saying the tribunal would look into possible war crimes in the country.
Karim Khan, the Hague tribunal’s attorney general, said in a statement: “I am deeply concerned about the developments in Ukraine and its environs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday morning, February 24, and warned other countries that any intervention against Russia’s actions would “lead to consequences they have never seen.”
He added: “I would like to remind all parties involved in the conflict on Ukrainian soil that my office can exercise its authority and refrain from committing any kind of genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. It is happening in Ukraine.
Following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014 and its subsequent clashes in eastern Ukraine, Kiev agreed that a Hague tribunal should investigate war crimes committed in the country after February 2014.
In December 2020, the Hague tribunal announced that it believed, for one reason or another, that war crimes and other crimes had taken place in eastern Ukraine.
Preliminary inquiries have been made but no formal request has been made to the judges to initiate a full investigation. Judges must agree on this before an investigation can begin.
Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court and has opposed its cases.
However, the International Criminal Court (ICC) can investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity on Ukrainian soil without regard to the nationality of the perpetrators.
The Hague Tribunal, established in 2002, is the final choice for the prosecution and investigation of war crimes and operates when a member state has the ability to conduct investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity or genocide. And is not interested in conducting these audits.
