- Ukraine becomes a member of the International Criminal Court
Ukraine has become a part of the International Criminal Court, but it's requesting a temporary exemption for its military from the court's jurisdiction. The Ukrainian parliament voted 281-1 with 22 abstentions to ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC, as confirmed by MP Yaroslav Shelesnyak on Telegram. Ukraine had signed the Rome Statute back in January 2000, but had not ratified it until now. This treaty serves as the foundation for the International Criminal Court (ICC) located in The Hague, which handles crimes like genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
However, the ratified document specifies that Ukraine will not endorse the ICC's jurisdiction over war crimes involving its citizens for a seven-year period. This move is driven by fears that the military's actions against Russian forces could possibly be classified as war crimes. The ongoing military conflict trace its roots back to 2014, when Russian forces first emerged in the Donbass.
Ukraine clarifies that they can be approached for cooperation by the ICC diplomatically, or directly by contacting the Prosecutor General's Office or the Ministry of Justice - in Ukrainian.
Not every country has ratified the Rome Statute yet. Ukraine's ratification will become effective in a few weeks, considering the intricate timelines. As of now, 124 countries have ratified the statute, with 139 signatories. Russia and the US have signed the statute, but have yet to ratify it. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of responsibility in the deportation of Ukrainian children.
The ratified document specifies that the Court of Justice's jurisdiction over war crimes involving Ukrainian citizens will be temporarily exempted for seven years. This decision was made due to concerns that the military's actions against Russian forces could potentially be classified as war crimes.
