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Mar 18, 2023

ICC’s arrest warrant to Russian President Putin

FA News Desk
The front view of ICC building in Hague of the Netherlands.
The front view of ICC building in Hague of the Netherlands.

The Hague in The Netherlands based the Pre-Trial Chamber of the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russia President Vladimir Putin on Friday,

According to the report, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant to Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.

The ICC accused them of deportation and “illegal transfer” of more than 16,000 children from occupied Ukraine to Russia since the war broke out on February 24, 2022.

However, in response, Russia dismissed the orders as “void”. Moscow doesn’t recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. Russia signed the Rome statute, which governs the ICC, but it never ratified the agreement to become a member. So, it is clear that neither Russia nor Ukraine are members of the ICC.

So, it was unclear how Putin could ever be extradited. According to ICC President Piotr Hofmanski “the execution (of the warrants) depends on international cooperation.”

Set up in 2002 in accordance with the Rome Statute signed on 17 July 1998, the ICC is an independent, permanent judicial body that has resolved international justice cases of significance.

But Ukraine welcomed the ICC announcement as “historic”.

In another report, Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22 at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, President Xi’s visit will be a trip of friendship, cooperation and peace.

During the visit, both the Presidents will draw a new blueprint for the future development of China-Russia relations and advance the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in various fields ushering in a new era of China-Russia ties, the Foreign Ministry added.

In the diplomatic sphere, it is believed that after the successful mediation by China Iran and Saudi Arabia have established diplomatic relations, the visit of Chinese president to Moscow would also bear fruitful result in mediation between Russia and Ukraine to end the over year-long war.

Thus, the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry added that China will uphold its objective and impartial position on the Ukraine crisis and other international and regional hotspot issues, and continue to play a constructive role in a political settlement.