New York (AP) — Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock has pledged to reform international law so those responsible for a war of aggression, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, can be held accountable.
“No one can wage wars of aggression in the 21st century and go unpunished,” demanded the green politician before a trip to New York. There, she wants to take part in a ceremony at the United Nations (UN) to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the International Criminal Court (ICC). A speech to the UN Security Council and a meeting with the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, are also planned.
“In the eyes of the perpetrators, the ICC is already a sharp sword,” Baerbock said. In the eyes of the victims, he is the hope that their suffering will not go unpunished. “That’s why a gap in law enforcement is particularly painful,” the minister said. In the case of crimes of aggression against “the most precious possession we have: our peace”, the obstacles to prosecution are still too high. International law must do justice to “21st century realities”. The minister will be accompanied by the German judge candidate for the Court of Justice, Ute Hohoff.
During a visit to the Court’s headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, in January, Baerbock had already offered to change its legal basis – the Rome Statute – so that the war crime of aggression could also be prosecuted. without restriction. It should suffice that the State victim of an aggression falls within the jurisdiction of the court. Currently, only the UN Security Council can refer the case to court, as neither Russia nor Ukraine are contracting parties. As a permanent member, Russia has a right of veto in the Security Council.
The majority required for a reform of the Treaties of Rome is not predictable. There is currently no unanimous opinion either in EU states or among African members.
Baerbock also supports the proposal to hold the Russian leadership responsible for the war of aggression against Ukraine by means of a special tribunal. Such a tribunal should be based on Ukrainian law.
International elements could include an overseas location, international judges and prosecutors, and a supporting UN General Assembly resolution. According to the federal government, the German position is shared by the other G7 countries and many EU members. France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United States and Great Britain are also part of the G7 of economically strong democracies.
Baerbock also criticized: “The barbarism of the Russian war is particularly evident in the fate of several thousand children who were abducted from Ukraine to Russia.” Russia robs them not only of their childhood, but also of their future and their identity. According to Ukrainian information, around 20,000 children have been expelled by the Russian authorities.
In mid-March, the ICC therefore issued arrest warrants against Putin and Russian children’s rights commissioner Maria Lwowa-Belowa for war crimes. A summit of the Brics countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) is highly anticipated in South Africa from August 22 to 24. If Putin arrives, he could be arrested.
The ICC opened a war crimes investigation in Ukraine shortly after the start of the Russian war of aggression last February. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has sent the largest team of investigators the court has ever deployed to the war zone. A separate office was also opened in Kyiv.
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