Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation (Wikipedia Commons)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The International Criminal Court Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Amnesty International said the ICC arrest warrant is “a step towards justice for victims of war crimes in Ukraine”. The ICC’s warrant centers on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since Moscow’s invasion in 2022.
“This announcement is an important signal – both for Ukraine and the rest of the world – that those who are allegedly responsible for crimes under international law in Ukraine will face arrest and trial, no matter how powerful they are. President Putin is now officially a wanted man. Following the ICC’s indictment of President Putin and Children’s Commissioner Lvova-Belova for the war crime of forcible transfer of children, the international community must stop at nothing until they are arrested and brought to trial.”
-Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International
In addition to Putin, the ICC also issued warrant of arrest for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights.
ICC ARREST WARRANTS IN SITUATION OF UKRAINE WAR CRIMES
ICC arrest warrants in the situation of Ukraine: Statement by President Piotr Hofmański
“Putin is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, (i) for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute), and (ii) for his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts, or allowed for their commission, and who were under his effective authority and control, pursuant to superior responsibility (article 28(b) of the Rome Statute)”. – ICC statement.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague, Netherlands.
“Lvova-Belova is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Ms Lvova-Belova bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute).” – ICC statement.
According to the ICC, its Pre-Trial Chamber II considered, based on the Prosecution’s applications of 22 February 2023, that there are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that of unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children.
