In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that it would investigate the actions of the Russian leader and the children’s commissioner appointed by him in connection with the forced relocation of Ukrainian children. The court issued an arrest warrant for them in March, as they are suspected of illegally transporting children.
Illegal forced transfers of children are a war crime.
We asked an ICC spokesperson From Fadi El Abdallah about the investigation and its possible results. Read the answers about whether the president can Vladimir Putin and the Children’s Ombudsman Marija Lvova-Belova actually bring to justice.
What is expected to happen next?
– The ICC has issued an arrest warrant, and the next step is for the ICC to talk with the member states whose territory the suspects may visit, says El Abdallah.
ICC member states are committed to cooperation. Other countries can also cooperate if they wish.
Who will investigate the case and how long will the investigation take?
According to El Abdallah, the duration of the investigations cannot be said precisely. The arrest warrant was issued for the first criminal suspicions, but as the investigations continue, there may be more cases.
The decision to launch the investigations was made by the British prosecutor of the ICC Karim Khan. 43 of the member states proposed an investigation.
The investigation is based on the fact that Ukraine has authorized the ICC to investigate the situation in Ukraine. The investigation team can find old cases, but if the suspected crimes continue, future cases can also be investigated. The prosecutor focuses on the most serious criminal suspicions.
On what basis do they want to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Ombudsman Marija Lvova-Belova?
of ICC (you switch to another service)according to the judges, there are reasonable grounds to suspect that Putin is guilty of illegally transferring and transporting children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia from February 24, 2022. It is a war crime.
According to the ICC, there is reason to believe that Putin himself is criminally responsible. According to the ICC, he has also not supervised his subordinates so that they do not commit suspected crimes. The same points apply to Lvova-Belova.
An arrest warrant has been issued for both, which is valid in 123 countries.
Has the ICC had cases like this in the past?
– This is the first time in the history of the ICC that someone has been charged with these crimes, says El Abdallah.
In the past, the ICC has used the same titles in cases involving child soldiers. Ukraine has also investigated child abductions under the title of genocide.
When could Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Ombudsman Marija Lvova-Belova be arrested?
– The arrest does not depend on the ICC but on international cooperation, says El Abdallah.
This means that member states that have ratified the Statute of the International Criminal Court must cooperate with the ICC.
Those states that are not part of the agreement can cooperate if they wish. The ICC does not have its own police or military forces. So everything depends on the cooperation of the states, and we cannot say exactly when the arrest may take place.
South Africa is a member of the ICC, and Putin is planning a trip there. So can he be arrested in South Africa?
This depends entirely on the South African authorities, El Abdallah states.
– South Africa is a member state and has an obligation to cooperate with the ICC.
However, national authorities can request an exception and discuss the matter with judges if they have a legally valid reason not to detain a suspect.
El Abdallah does not say whether the South African authorities have discussed the matter with the ICC. Putin is scheduled to attend the meeting of the Brics organization of developing countries in South Africa in August.
What is known about the victims in the crimes of which Putin and Lvova-Belova are suspected?
The judges have decided that the victims will be protected so that individual cases are not disclosed to the public, says El Abdallah.
For example, he cannot confirm whether the case of the Ukrainian father interviewed by is related to the ICC’s investigations.
How has Russia reacted to the arrest warrant?
In Russia, there have been attempts to downplay the arrest warrant, and on the other hand, there have been concerns about it. Spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marija Zakharova according to the ICC rules do not apply to Russia.
Independent Russian media Meduzan (you switch to another service) according to the independent online media publication Verstka, the Kremlin officials were upset after the arrest warrant. Then they received instructions on how to deal with the order.
Meduzan (you switch to another service) according to the interviewed expert, the arrest warrant is in any case a stain on Putin, which could lead to a trial if the Russian regime changes.
How should Western countries react if South Africa does not arrest Putin? You can discuss the topic on Friday 21.4. until 11 p.m.