The ICC reminds Kiev and Moscow that it can judge acts of genocide or war crimes in Ukraine

Live | Crisis in Ukraine

MADRID, Feb. 25 (Royals Blue) –

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, reminded the Ukrainian and Russian authorities on Friday that he has jurisdiction to judge acts of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity on Ukrainian territory.

Khan has pointed out that the parties signed a declaration on September 8, 2015 accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction in the territory, which it can exercise from February 20, 2014.

“Any person who commits these crimes, including ordering, inciting or contributing to them in any way, may be prosecuted in court, with full respect for the principle of complementarity,” he said in a statement in which he considered it to be “imperative” that the parties respect their obligations under International Law.

“In the independent and impartial exercise of its mandate, the court remains fully committed to preventing atrocities and ensuring that anyone responsible for these crimes is held accountable,” he added.

On the other hand, Khan explained that he has received “multiple inquiries” about amendments to the Rome Statute regarding the crime of aggression, which entered into force in 2018, and the application of those amendments to the current situation.

The prosecutor has specified that, since neither Ukraine nor Russia are party to the Rome Statute, the ICC cannot exercise its jurisdiction over this alleged crime in this situation.

Khan has clarified that he is following the situation in Ukraine “with growing concern” and has guaranteed that he will continue to monitor events “closely”. In this regard, he has promised to speak “more clearly” in the future to clarify his “assessment” and the “next steps” in relation to the Ukraine file.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in eastern Ukraine early Thursday, days after recognizing the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. In response, Ukraine has said it is breaking off relations with Moscow.