International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Putin over War Crimes in Ukraine

ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children s rights commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova Belova The arrest warrant comes as a result of alleged war crimes involving accusations that Russia has forcibly taken Ukrainian children " >The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children’s rights commissioner, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova. The arrest warrant comes as a result of alleged war crimes involving accusations that Russia has forcibly taken Ukrainian children.

Court Accuses Putin of Unlawful Deportation and Transfer of Population from Ukraine to Russia

The Hague-based court accused Putin and his commissioner of being “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.”

ICC’s Action Is a Significant and Rare Step

Analysts have described ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin as a rare and significant step, given that the criminal court is requesting the arrest of a sitting world leader. However, Russia, which is not a party to the court, has downplayed its significance, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissing the move by the criminal court as “outrageous and unacceptable.”

Ukrainian Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin, Applauds Court’s Decision as “Historic”

Although Ukraine is also not a party to the ICC, Kostin called the court’s decision “historic.” Kostin noted that the Ukrainian government has cooperated with the court on criminal investigations in its territory.

Yale University Researchers and the US State Department Accuse Russia over its Treatment of Ukrainian Children

Researchers from Yale University and the US State Department accused the Russian government of operating a systematic network of custody centers for thousands of Ukrainian children in a report released last month. Russian officials have previously characterized the children centers as part of a large humanitarian project for abandoned, war-traumatized orphans.

ICC’s Decision Is Aimed at Deterring Further Crimes

ICC President, Piotr Hofmanski, said the judges decided to make the warrants public to try to deter further crimes. “It is forbidden by international law for occupying powers to transfer civilians from the territories where they live to other territories,” he said, adding that “Children enjoy special protection under the Geneva Convention.”

Human Rights Advocates Hail the ICC’s Decision as a Major Step

Human rights advocates have hailed ICC’s decision as a major step towards ending impunity and bringing justice to the victims of Russia’s offenses in Ukraine. “With these arrest warrants, the ICC has made Putin a wanted man and taken its first step to end the impunity that has emboldened perpetrators in Russia’s war against Ukraine for far too long,” Human Rights Watch said.

Credit: https://www.npr.org/2023/03/17/1164267436/international-criminal-court-arrest-warrant-putin-ukraine-alleged-war-crimes

ENND " >ENND