Today, 17th March 2023, the Pre-Trial Chamber II (ICC) of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”, or “the Court”) issued arrest warrants for two individuals, in the context the situation in Ukraine. Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova Belova.
“Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born on 7th October 1952 and is the President of the Russian Federation. He is accused of being responsible for the war crimes of unlawful deportation (children) and unlawful transfer (children) of occupied areas of Ukraine into the Russian Federation. (under article 8(2)(a), (vii), and 8(2)(b), (viii) of Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly perpetrated in Ukrainian occupied territories at least as of 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds for believing that Mr Putin is personally responsible for the crimes listed above, (i), for having committed them directly, jointly with others, or through others (article 25, paragraph 3, point a) of Rome Statute), (ii), for failing to exercise proper control over his civilian and military subordinates, who committed these acts, or permitted their commission, while under his effective authority and command, pursuant of superior responsibility (article 28, paragraph b) of Rome Statute).
Maria Alekseyevna Lvova Belova, born 25 October 1984 and Commissioner for Children’s Rights at the Office of President of the Russian Federation is allegedly responsible under the Rome Statute for the war crimes of unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from occupied areas in Ukraine to the Russian Federation. The crimes were allegedly perpetrated in Ukrainian occupied territories at least as of 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds for believing that Ms Lvova Belova is personally responsible for the crimes listed above, whether she committed them directly, in conjunction with others, or through others (article 25, paragraph 3, point a, of the Rome Statute).
Pre-Trial Chamber II, based on the Prosecution’s applications of February 22, 2023, found that there were reasonable grounds to believe each suspect was responsible for the war crimes of unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of populations from occupied areas in Ukraine to the Russian Federation to the prejudice of Ukrainian children.
The Chamber considered the warrants secret to protect witnesses and victims, and to safeguard the investigation. The Chamber, however, being aware that the conduct in question is ongoing and that public knowledge of the warrants could prevent further crimes from being committed, considered it to be in the interest of justice to authorize the Registry to disclose the existence of warrants, names of suspects, crimes for which warrants have been issued, and the modes and levels of liability established by the Chamber.
The official announcement from ICC states that the above-mentioned arrest warrants were issued in response to the applications filed by the Prosecution 22 February 2023.
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