The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has said the institution’s arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “sombre occasion” rather than a moment of triumph.
Karim Khan called on world leaders to boost funding for the ICC’s investigations, warning the window of opportunity to deliver justice in Ukraine was closing.
The British barrister used a speech at a London gathering of justice ministers from more than 40 countries to drum up support for judges’ efforts to prosecute Mr Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
The ICC last week issued arrest warrants for Mr Putin and his commissioner for children’s rights over the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
He said the move marked “a really sombre occasion”.
Russia on Monday responded to the move by announcing the launch of a criminal probe into Mr Khan, saying he had accused “a person known to be innocent” and was planning “an attack on a representative of a foreign state enjoying international protection”.
Mr Khan said claims of atrocities that have come to light since Russia invaded Ukraine have varied in nature, but that allegations of Ukrainian children being sent en masse to Russia for indoctrination was of particular concern.
“If we don’t at this moment of world affairs cling to the law, if we don’t look at ourselves and ask how we can do better … we will not only miss an opportunity but we may not have further opportunities,” Mr Khan told delegates at the meeting at Lancaster House.
Russian invasion of Ukraine — in pictures
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Ukrainian soldiers fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, near Bakhmut in Ukraine. AP -
Resident Svetlana Boiko, 66, who was wounded in recent shelling, is comforted near her destroyed house in Donetsk. Reuters -
A wounded Ukrainian soldier is treated in a front-line stabilisation ambulance, near Kreminna. Reuters -
A house in Donetsk destroyed in recent shelling. Reuters -
Ukrainian volunteer soldiers hold their positions at the front line near Bakhmut. AFP -
Volunteers carry the remains of a Uragan rocket as they clear the area around the Sviatohirsk Cave Monastery in Dolyna. AFP -
A man sits inside a damaged car in the village of Chasiv Yar. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen fire at Russian positions in the region of Donbas. AFP -
Rescue workers put out a fire in a house shelled by Russian forces in Kostiantynivka. AP -
A Ukrainian serviceman moves towards the frontline city of Bakhmut. AFP -
Vladyslav, a Ukrainian paratrooper of the 80 Air Assault brigade, rests in a dugout at the front line near Bakhmut. AP -
Residents of the village of Bohorodychne cross the Seversky Donets river to retrieve bread from the other bank. AFP
“The allegations are serious indeed; Ukraine is a crime scene [and] many types of allegations have been received,” he said.
“To anybody who says 'what seems to have taken place is humanitarian evacuations', the evidence tells a different story.
“The judges have said so by saying repatriate the children, return the children, reunite the children.
“If there are any semblance of truth to the utterances that this is for the sake of the children. Instead of giving them a foreign passport, return them to the country of their nationality.”
The ICC, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, is seeking financial pledges from countries to carry out time-consuming probes into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Britain has agreed to boost its financial contribution to £1 million this year and other countries are also expected to commit to financial and practical assistance.
Ukraine's prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, was among those in attendance at Monday’s gathering.
He spoke of “ruthless” attacks and “atrocities” by Russian soldiers on civilians and territories in his homeland.
Mr Kostin said Russia is acting on “a clear plan to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainian identity”.
“The deportation and transportation of thousands of Ukrainian children, including from orphanages and care homes to Russia,” he continued.
“Simplifying their illegal adoption process and confirming their citizenship of an aggressive state is very clear evidence of this plan. This is done to cut ties with Ukraine and alter their Ukrainian heritage.”
Ukraine’s chief prosecutor said his office has been flooded with reports of alleged war crimes over the past year. Investigations into more than 72,000 such claims have been launched.
The meeting was hosted by Dominic Raab, the UK’s deputy prime minister and justice secretary. He told delegates it was “absolutely vital that we unite behind the ICC and we support the office of the prosecutor in whatever it needs”.
