THE HAGUE, March 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan has visited Ukraine where he held a video call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, the court said.
The pair met virtually, the Hague-based court tweeted. “We agreed all efforts are needed to ensure international human humanitarian law is respected and to protect the civilian population,” Khan said.
The Hague-based prosecutor opened an investigation into the situation in Ukraine on March 3, after getting the green light from more than 40 ICC states parties.
The ICC opened its doors in 2002 to try individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression in some cases.
At the same time, the recently-minted prosecutor said he has send a request to Russian authorities to discuss his investigation into possible atrocities committed in Ukraine since 2014.
Khan again issued a warning that any attacks directed at civilians or civilian buildings like hospitals were crimes “that my office may investigate and prosecute”.
“Those taking part in these hostilities, whether as regular armed forces, militias, or self-defence groups, must know that in putting on a uniform or by carrying weapons they are not absolved of responsibility but indeed they take on extra legal obligations,” Khan said.
But Khan reiterated his probe would be carried out with “independence, impartiality and integrity” and would involve both sides of the conflict.
“I have transmitted a formal request to the Russian Federation to meet their competent authorities and discuss the current situation as it concerns my office’s mandate.”
“It is in my view essential that the Russian Federation actively engages in this investigation and I stand ready to meet with them,” he said.
On Friday Khan urged parties to Ukraine’s conflict not to use heavy, high-explosive weapons in populated areas as the Russian military continued its bombardments of homes and civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine has not signed the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding treaty, but in 2014 it formally recognised the court’s jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory.
Moscow withdrew its signature from the Rome Statute in 2016, which means that the ICC will only be able to prosecute Russians if they are arrested on the territory of a state that respects its jurisdiction. — NNN-AGENCIES
