International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrant Against Vladimir Putin For War Crimes Against Children In Ukraine

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Synopsis

The International Criminal Court issued warrants against the Russian President and Commissioner for Children's Rights of Russia after an application was made by the Public Prosecutor.

The International Criminal Court on Friday issued an arrest warrant against Russian President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova for war crimes against children in Ukraine.

The press release issued by the International Criminal Court stated that the order of arrest warrant against the Russian President and the Commissioner for Children's Rights of Russia was passed by the Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court.

The press note stated that based on the application made by the Public Prosecutor the Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that of unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children.

The Pre-Trial Chamber has kept the order of arrest warrants secret as to protect victims and witnesses and also to safeguard the investigation. 

"The Chamber considered that the warrants are secret in order to protect victims and witnesses and also to safeguard the investigation. Nevertheless, mindful that the conduct addressed in the present situation is allegedly ongoing, and that the public awareness of the warrants may contribute to the prevention of the further commission of crimes, the Chamber considered that it is in the interests of justice to authorise the Registry to publicly disclose the existence of the warrants, the name of the suspects, the crimes for which the warrants are issued, and the modes of liability as established by the Chamber," the press note stated. 

The press release further stated that the Russian President is responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of the population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of the population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

"Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born on 7 October 1952, President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, (i) for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute), and (ii) for his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts, or allowed for their commission, and who were under his effective authority and control, pursuant to superior responsibility (article 28(b) of the Rome Statute)," the press note reads.

A similar observation has been made against the Commissioner for Children's Rights of Russia which stated,

"Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, born on 25 October 1984, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the  President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Ms Lvova-Belova bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute)."