A group representing more than a million lawyers in 45 countries in Europe has called for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) “with a view to the trial of the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and his accomplices” following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) said Russia’s actions “breach the fundamental and generally accepted principles of international law”.
All states must respect the fundamental obligations, values, principles and freedoms set out in the Charter of the United Nations, the European Convention on Human Rights and other instruments and general principles of international law, the CCBE president James MacGuill, a solicitor and former president of the Law Society of Ireland, said.
The CCBE, which represents the Bars and law societies of 45 countries, supported the demand of EU institutions and the international community that Russia “immediately ceases its illegal invasion of Ukraine”. The unwarranted invasion of a sovereign state represents an “egregious attack” on the rule of law, it said.
The group welcomed the statement of the prosecutor of the ICC that the court may exercise its jurisdiction over and investigate any act of genocide, crime against humanity or war crime committed within the territory of Ukraine since February 20th, 2014, onwards.
The prosecutor said any person who commits such crimes, including by ordering, inciting or contributing in another manner to the commission of them, may be liable to prosecution before the ICC.
The CCBE called on the prosecutor to commence an immediate investigation in this respect “with a view to the trial of the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and his accomplices”.
“The Ukrainian people deserve the protection of the international legal order,” the CCBE said.
Source: The Irish Times
