Ukraine discusses creation of special international tribunal with Human Rights Watch

(MENAFN) Ukrainian officials are exploring the possibility of creating a special international tribunal to hold Russia's military and Political leaders accountable for the conflict in Ukraine. Andriy Smyrnov, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, recently met with representatives from the Human Rights Watch organization to discuss this issue. Smyrnov emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that "neither the crime of genocide nor the crime against humanity would have happened if the main crime - the crime of aggression - had not occurred."

Smyrnov explained that Ukraine has been exploring different avenues for holding Russian leaders accountable for their actions, but the International Criminal Court's mandate only allows for investigation of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, not the crime of aggression committed by Russia. Ukraine has passed many laws that enable the ICC to investigate crimes within Ukraine, but Smyrnov pointed out that no one in the world has been brought to justice for the crime of aggression in the last 70 years.

Russia has a long history of sowing "terror and chaos everywhere," Smyrnov noted, citing Russia's aggression towards Georgia in 2008 and its invasion of Ukraine in 2014. He believes that the only way to quickly bring Russia's top political and military leadership to justice would be to create a special international tribunal.

The International Criminal Court began its own investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine in March 2022, but it only considers cases in relation to high-ranking war criminals who are present in the dock. The proposed international tribunal would have broader jurisdiction and could hold Russian leaders accountable for their actions.

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