The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute has declared “unwavering support” to the International Criminal Court (ICC) following Russian threats. On this subject said in a joint statement by Assembly President Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendy and her deputies, Katerina Sekensova and Robert Keith Ray.
The Assembly “deplores attempts to obstruct international efforts to ensure accountability for acts prohibited by general international law,” the statement said.
The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute is the legislative and supervisory body of the International Criminal Court. It is made up of representatives of states that have ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute of 1998.
The jurisdiction of the ICC is recognized by 123 countries, including all EU states. Russia, China and the United States are not ICC member countries.
De Gourmendy expressed his “strong support” for the International Criminal Court and its staff, and expressed his full confidence in the ICC as an “independent and impartial judiciary”.
“The International Criminal Court embodies our collective commitment to fight impunity for the most serious international crimes. As an institution of last resort, the Court complements national jurisdictions. We call on all states to respect its judicial and prosecutorial independence,” the assembly said.
Arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin
On March 17, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on suspicion of illegally deporting children from Ukraine. The Kremlin called the issuance of the warrant “outrageous and unacceptable”, noting that for Russia such decisions are null and void in terms of law.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, after issuing an arrest warrant against Putin, opened a criminal case against the ICC prosecutor and judges.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, threatened the ICC with a missile attack.
On March 23, Medvedev, in an interview with Russian media, called the ICC “legal impotent.”
“The criminal court itself is a kind of legal non-entity, a powerless international legal entity that has done nothing of significance since its inception. For what? Because it is based on the will, but not of all countries,” estimate his RIA Novosti.
