ICC issues arrest warrants for Russian army chief, former defence minister

ICC issues arrest warrants for Russian army chief, former defence minister

SUB: IR

SEC: Int org

Context: The International Criminal Court on Tuesday said it had issued arrest warrants for Russia’s Army chief and former Defence Minister over strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure that constituted alleged war crimes

• The International Criminal Court (“the ICC” or “the Court”) is a permanent international court established to investigate, prosecute and try individuals accused of committing the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, namely the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression
• On 17 July 1998, 120 States adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court establishing the
• The International Criminal Court is not a substitute for national courts. According to the Rome Statute, it is the duty of every State to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes.
• The International Criminal Court can only intervene where a State is unable or unwilling genuinely to carry out the investigation and prosecute the perpetrators.
• The ICC is an independent body whose mission is to try individuals for crimes within its jurisdiction without the need for a special mandate from the United Nations.
• ​The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
• The ICC, based in The Hague, does not have its own police force to enforce arrest warrants. It relies on the justice systems of its 124 members to carry them out. In theory, anyone under a warrant is prevented from travelling to an ICC member state for fear of arrest.