Russia withdraws from International Criminal Court
Russia has officially withdrawn from International Criminal Court (ICC) after President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order in this regard.
The executive order mentioned that Russia is pulling out of the 2002 Rome Statute, which establishes the ICC’s status and powers. However, Russia had never ratified the statue meaning it was never member subject to its jurisdiction.
What is the issue?
Russia was against by ICC’s declaration that Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula was an armed conflict. Russia is also under international pressure over its campaign of air strikes in Syria over the issue of bombing civilians and civilian targets. Russia has denied those allegations. Besides, ICC is also examining allegations of war crimes committed by Russian and Georgian forces during a brief 2008 war.
About International Criminal Court (ICC)
- ICC based in The Hague, Netherlands is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal.
- It has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
- It was established by the Rome Statute which was adopted in July 1998 end entered into force in July 2002.
- ICC is seen as a successor to Nuremburg trials after World War II and ad-hoc UN war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
- The multilateral treaty of Rome Statute serves as the ICC’s foundational and governing document.
- Currently, there are 124 states which are party to Rome Statute and therefore members of the ICC (India and China are not its members).
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Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016