ICC / PUTIN ARREST WARRANTS

STORY: ICC / PUTIN ARREST WARRANTS
TRT: 2:00
SOURCE: ICC
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 17 MARCH 2023, THE HAGUE / RECENT

SHOTLIST:

RECENT - THE HAGUE

1.Various shots, ICC exterior

17 MARCH 2023, THE HAGUE
2.SOUNDBITE (English) Piotr Hofmanski, International Criminal Court President Judge:
"Today, 17th of March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued two warrants of arrest in the Ukraine situation: for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and for Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner of the Russian President's (office) for Children’s Rights for the alleged war crimes of deportation of children from Ukrainian occupied territories into the Russian Federation. It is forbidden by international law for occupying powers to transfer civilians from the territory they live in to other territories. Children enjoy special protection under the Geneva Convention. The contents of the warrants are secret in order to protect the victims. The ICC attaches great importance to the protection of victims, especially children. Nevertheless, the judges of the chamber and dealing with this case decided to make the existence of warrants public in the interest of justice and to prevent the commission of future crimes. This is an important moment in the process of justice before the ICC. The judges have reviewed the information and evidence submitted by the prosecutor and determined that there are credible allegation against these persons for the alleged crimes. The ICC is doing its part of work. As a court of law, the judges issued arrest warrants that execution depends on international cooperation.”
RECENT - THE HAGUE

3.Various shots, ICC exterior

STORYLINE:

Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.

Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born on 7 October 1952, President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, (i) for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute), and (ii) for his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts, or allowed for their commission, and who were under his effective authority and control, pursuant to superior responsibility (article 28(b) of the Rome Statute).

Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, born on 25 October 1984, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Ms Lvova-Belova bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute).

Pre-Trial Chamber II considered, based on the Prosecution’s applications of 22 February 2023, that there are reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that of unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children.

The Chamber considered that the warrants are secret in order to protect victims and witnesses and also to safeguard the investigation. Nevertheless, mindful that the conduct addressed in the present situation is allegedly ongoing, and that the public awareness of the warrants may contribute to the prevention of the further commission of crimes, the Chamber considered that it is in the interests of justice to authorise the Registry to publicly disclose the existence of the warrants, the name of the suspects, the crimes for which the warrants are issued, and the modes of liability as established by the Chamber.

The abovementioned warrants of arrests were issued pursuant to the applications submitted by the Prosecution on 22 February 2023.