International legal mechanisms will become an effective instrument for Ukraine to obtain compensation and reparations for losses caused by the war, according to Inna Liniova, director of the Human Rights Institute of the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA).
“Russia itself uses international legal mechanisms; it does not ignore international organizations, and it appeals to international institutions to prove its case. They may pretend they do not care, but, for example, they criticize the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Putin, actively participate in the International Court of Justice genocide case, and engage in legal debate. Such legal instruments can be effective for obtaining compensation for war-related losses. Our victims expect compensation and the restoration of justice, and these are international accountability mechanisms,” she said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
Commenting on the significance of a number of international court decisions, particularly the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Putin, the lawyer noted that the warrant “makes Putin a criminal in the eyes of the international community.”
“Without court proceedings he remains a democratically elected leader, rather than a criminal wanted by the ICC. Such decisions significantly complicate many countries’ diplomatic relations with Russia. Putin has broad support around the world, but politicians, oligarchs and businessmen who were previously loyal to him now see that the international accountability system works, which means they too will be held accountable for their loyalty to criminals. We hope such developments will show them that they themselves could end up in the dock, discouraging them from supporting him,” the lawyer said.
