Council Of Europe Ready To Establish Special Tribunal For Ukraine Berset

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset stated this in an interview with Euronews , Ukrinform reports.

"We had a strong commitment addressing the necessity to create this tribunal. We are ready to have an advanced team to make it real. What we need now is really a clear support and commitment from states. Some countries need to make a decision on their side, such as also ratifying it in national parliaments, it could take time," Berset said in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The Special Tribunal for Ukraine is a new international judicial body established by treaty between Ukraine and the CoE in June, intended to prosecute the crime of aggression committed against Ukraine.

Its main purpose is to fill a legal gap: the International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, but it currently cannot prosecute the crime of aggression in the case of Russian aggression against Ukraine under its existing mandates.

Read also: Preparations for Special Tribunal: Prosecutor General's Office outlines communication with victims

The ICC's recent rulings have also faced criticism, including from U.S. President Donald Trump.

"It is clear that courts are challenged, and it is not a good situation, because we need to have order, which means respecting what the courts are doing and respecting the independence of the judiciary. It is really important not to destabilize the system. We want to deliver within the context of the UN to deliver where others fail," Berset said.

On June 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an agreement with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

On July 15, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law ratifying the agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe on establishing the Special Tribunal.

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