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The international war crimes investigation in Ukraine must be less “impotent and pedestrian” than previous inquiries to ensure senior decision-makers are held to account, its head said on Friday.
Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, told the BBC that 42 investigators, crime scene experts and lawyers were gathering evidence in the biggest deployment of the organisation’s 20-year history.
But Mr Khan told the BBC the court had been underfunded and had to ask for more money. Some of the staff had been seconded by the Netherlands, he said.
“Time will tell if we manage to rise to the challenge,” said Mr Khan, a Briton. “The victims, those that are in Ukraine and the international community…. expect international actors not to be as impotent or as pedestrian as sometimes may have been the case.
“If we work in that spirit of partnership, we can try and do better than maybe we've done in the past.”
The ICC has secured convictions of defendants from the Central African Republic, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo but higher-profile suspects remain out of its reach, including Libya’s Saif Al Islam Qaddafi and former Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir.
Senior Bosnian Serb leaders were prosecuted in a special mandated court to investigate crimes committed during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990sin one of the biggest victories for international justice of recent decades.
Asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin would be held to account for crimes in Ukraine, Mr Khan said the investigation would probe the actions and decisions taken “whether you’re a foot soldier or whether you're a civilian superior or military commander”.
Experts say the road to prosecution would be difficult as the ICC only prosecutes people who are brought before it in person.
Russia is not a member state and is unlikely to hand over its soldiers or leaders accused of war crimes. It already does not extradite its nationals to face criminal cases abroad.
Under the international laws that govern the conduct of war, civilians or the infrastructure that they rely on for survival cannot be attacked. The sick and wounded must be cared for and prisoners of war must be treated fairly.
The ICC is joined by countries including Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania investigating thousands of potential war crimes.
Mr Khan said his investigation will go back as far as 2013 before the annexation of the Crimea.
A Russian tank commander was jailed for life earlier this week by a court in Ukraine for killing a civilian in the first war crimes trial since the start of the invasion.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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