ISLAMABAD: The International Criminal Court on Friday announced that with regard to the “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children, it had issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Hague-based ICC stated that it had also issued a warrant against Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova, on similar charges.
As Russia is not a member of the ICC, it is unclear how the court planned to enforce the arrest warrant.
According to the ICC statement, today (17 March) the International Criminal Court’s pre-Trial Chamber II issued arrest warrants for 2 individuals with regard to the situation in Ukraine, who are Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova and Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
As per allegations, Putin is responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population, kids, along with that of unlawful transfer of population, kids, from occupied areas of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation.
The court stated that the crimes began from February 24, 2022, the date when Russia started its invasion of Ukraine.
It stated that there were plausible grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears lone criminal responsibility for the crimes that have been aforementioned.
The court went on to say that as per allegations Putin was responsible directly by committing the acts along with failure to exercise proper control over civilian and military subordinates who carried out the acts or allowed for the same’s commission.
It added that the arrest warrants were being kept secret to protect victims and witnesses.
ICC prosecutor started probe started days after Russia invaded Ukraine
ICC’s prosecutor Karim Khan started a probe into crimes against humanity and alleged war crimes just days after Russia’s invasion.
Earlier this month, Khan said after a trip to Ukraine that the alleged abductions of kids were being probed by his office as a priority.
