Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025

ICC's Khan says Putin arrest warrant a 'sombre occasion'

ICC's Khan says Putin arrest warrant a 'sombre occasion'

The International Criminal Court (ICC) had to take action against Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes but the move was a "sombre" one and not a moment for backslapping, the organisation's chief prosecutor Karim Khan said on Monday.
Last Friday, the ICC accused Putin of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Moscow rejects the charges, calling the move unacceptable and saying it had no legal force in Russia which is not an ICC member.

"It's a moment ... not for triumphalism, not for any backslapping," Khan told international justice ministers meeting in London to discuss scaling up support for the ICC.

"It is really a very sad occasion and a very sombre occasion, that for the first time ever, judges of the International Criminal Court, of any court, have felt it necessary to issue warrants against a leader and senior state officials from a permanent member of the (U.N.) Security Council."

Russia has not concealed a programme under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia, but presents it as a humanitarian campaign to protect orphans and children abandoned in the conflict zone.

"I say repatriate the children, return the children, reunite the children," Khan said. "If there is any semblance of truth to the utterances that this is for the sake of children, instead of giving them a foreign passport, return them to the countries of their nationality."

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin told the meeting his office had launched investigations into more than 72,000 incidents of alleged war crimes and would soon sign an agreement to establish an ICC field office in Ukraine.

"Getting a suspect into the dock of the ICC could be a challenge," Kostin said. "Therefore now the burden is on states to closely cooperate with the court."

Chinese President Xi Jinping flew into Moscow on Monday, the first national leader to shake Putin's hand since the warrant was issued, with Beijing saying the warrant reflected double standards on the ICC's behalf.

"It's not ICC on our side or Ukraine's side ... but it's the rule of law on our side," Ukraine's minister of justice Denys Maliuska said.

Britain has pledged 1 million pounds ($1.22 million) to the ICC this year and the justice ministry said other countries were expected to pledge financial support during the conference, which is being co-hosted by Britain and the Netherlands.

The funding will go towards training for investigators to examine alleged war crimes, as well as psychological and practical support for victims, the ministry said.

($1 = 0.8214 pounds)
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Five Billionaires on Track to Break One Trillion Dollar Wealth Barrier
Julia Sebutinde to Lead International Court of Justice: A Historic Transition
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Properties Purchased by Non-EU Residents
Rising Casualties and Intense Diplomacy: The Conflict in Gaza Continues
Joseph Aoun Elected as Lebanon's New President: Ending a Prolonged Power Vacuum
Joseph Aoun Elected Lebanon’s 14th President Amid Political Stalemate
Trump Signals Shake-Up at the Pentagon Amid Transition Concerns
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Last-Minute Bid to Block Sentencing in New York
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Escalation in West Bank: Israeli Boy Killed in Palestinian Gun Attack
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Trump's Appeal to Delay Sentencing in New York Hush Money Case
Lancet Study Reveals Underestimation of Gaza War Death Toll by 40 Percent
Global Acclaim Follows Election of Lebanon's New President Joseph Aoun
Saudi Leaders Extend Congratulations to Joseph Aoun, New President of Lebanon
UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Humanitarian Aid in Northern Gaza
US Pledges $500 Million Military Aid Package to Ukraine
Ethiopia Endures a Series of Earthquakes in Brief Timespan
Joseph Aoun: Lebanon's Fourteenth President Amid a Legacy of Challenges
President Biden Reports Meaningful Progress on Gaza Agreement
Lancet Study Reveals Higher Gaza Death Toll than Official Reports
Global and Arab Welcome for Joseph Aoun's Election as Lebanon's President
Biden Cites 'Real Progress' in Gaza Deal Talks Amid Intense Negotiation Efforts
Escalation in Gaza: Casualties Rise Amidst Ongoing Negotiations
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Casualties Surge as Negotiations Continue
Quaker Group Cancels NYT Ad Over Dispute on Gaza Terminology
IDF Imposes Media Restraints Amid Legal Concerns For Soldiers
Trump's Counter-terrorism Nominee Urges UK to Repatriate British IS Members from Syria
Uncovering Iraq's Mass Graves: A Haunting Search for the Missing
Kurdish Commander Appeals to Trump for Continued U.S. Military Presence in Syria
Global Powers Call for Stabilization Efforts in Syria Amid Transition
Syria at a Crossroads: The Unceremonious Collapse of the Assad Regime
Trump's Syria Conundrum: Staying Out May Be Easier Said Than Done
Syrian Rebel Leader Pledges to Dismantle Assad's Notorious Prisons
Escalation in Gaza: Increased Casualties Amid Ongoing Conflict
Dissecting Luxury: A Study of American Society in the Digital Age
Escalating Violence in Gaza as Ceasefire Negotiations Intensify
US Eases Missile Technology Export Regulations for Key Allies
Escalation in Gaza Conflict: Fatal Strikes and Escalation in the West Bank
Gaza Cola: A Palestinian Initiative Aimed at Rebuilding Amidst Conflict
Poland Shuts Consulate in Saint Petersburg Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Miracle at Sea: Baby Born on Migrant Vessel Rescued by Spanish Coast Guard
Saudi Crown Prince Engages in Diplomatic Dialogue with Ukraine’s Zelensky
Israeli Military Recovers Body of Hostage in Gaza, Evidence Suggests Son Also Killed
Explosion at Ammunition Depot Rocks Syria's Idlib Region
Saudi Arabia Battling Unprecedented Floods Amid Torrential Rains
Cease-fire Negotiations in Qatar: No Timeline for Resolution
UN Seeks Additional $371.4 Million for Lebanon Amidst Ongoing Crisis
Saudi Arabia Continues Aid Bridge to Syria Amid Ongoing Crisis
Israel Declares West Bank a 'Primary Arena' of Threats Amid Escalating Conflict
U.S. Sanctions Shake Sudan's Political Landscape Amid Ongoing Conflict
×