The European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) officially launched the International Center for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression (ICPA) on July 3. The primary objective of the ICPA is to establish a central database for collecting evidence against Russia and other perpetrators of aggression.
During a press briefing held at The Hague, Didier Reynders, commissioner for justice at the European Commission, emphasized the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the international crimes committed during the aggression against Ukraine. Reynders stated that the ICPA would support and enhance national investigations into the crime of aggression, coordinating closely with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes within its jurisdiction.
While the ICC has the mandate to prosecute allegations of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, it does not have jurisdiction over crimes of aggression. In March, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of forcibly transferring civilians. Moscow claims that the charges relate to their efforts to evacuate children from combat zones.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, who attended the briefing, emphasized the court’s impartiality, stating that they are not on the side of Ukraine but on the side of justice.
Eurojust President Ladislav Hamran described the ICPA as a unique international cooperation platform without precedent in legal history. He clarified that the center would not have the power to issue indictments but would serve as a coordination platform for gathering evidence of alleged crimes. The ICPA aims to help investigators and prosecutors from Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland who are investigating the crime of aggression. Hamran emphasized that the center’s purpose is to secure crucial evidence and start building cases immediately, without waiting for the end of the conflict.
Andriy Kostin, Ukraine’s prosecutor general, attended the briefing and described Russia’s invasion as a global threat to peace, security, and stability. He expressed the importance of accountability for the crime of aggression and highlighted the ICPA’s role in streamlining international efforts to facilitate investigation and prosecution.
Kenneth Polite, U.S. assistant attorney general, acknowledged the ICPA as a compliment to other domestic, regional, and international efforts to promote accountability and combat impunity. He mentioned U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s recent visit to The Hague, where Garland became the first U.S. attorney general to visit the ICC. Polite stated that the Department of Justice supports mechanisms for accountability and justice and believes it can support these efforts without necessarily being a member of the Rome Statute.
Moscow rejects the Western claims of perpetrating “crimes of aggression” in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia’s Western critics have failed to substantiate their allegations with concrete information and evidence. He accused Western commissions of harboring anti-Russia bias and forming conclusions based on information provided by the Ukrainian regime, without engaging with those on Russia’s side of the conflict.
Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, claimed that over 30 Ukrainian militants had been jailed in the Russia-held regions of Donetsk and Luhansk for crimes against civilians. However, the veracity of these claims could not be independently confirmed by The Epoch Times.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Last September, Moscow effectively annexed four captured regions, including Donetsk and Luhansk. Russia justifies its “special military operation” as a means to protect Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine and prevent the expansion of NATO to its borders.
In summary, the launch of the ICPA aims to collect evidence against Russia and other perpetrators of aggression in Ukraine. The center will coordinate with the ICC and support national investigations into the crime of aggression. The ICPA’s establishment marks an unprecedented international cooperation platform, and its purpose is to secure crucial evidence and build cases immediately. The efforts for accountability and justice are supported by various countries, including the United States. However, Moscow denies the allegations of crimes of aggression and criticizes Western bias in their conclusions.
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