Two more countries have joined the Coalition for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. 32 states are now working together to hold Russia’s top political and military leadership accountable. Putin and his associates will stand trial.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 14, 2023
On the other hand, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday that Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which will try Russian war criminals.
Members of the Russian Parliament have meanwhile increased the punishments for criticizing the mercenaries fighting in Ukraine.
The lower house of the Russian parliament on Tuesday approved a law that provides that people who criticize the mercenaries and volunteers fighting in Ukraine can be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. The bill is expected to be approved by the upper house of the parliament and signed by President Vladimir Putin.
Mercenary groups such as Wagner, which claim to be leading the Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, have gained wide recognition in Russian society in recent months.
In an effort to silence criticism, MPs also strengthened other penalties, such as up to seven years in prison for “discrediting” the Russian military or “volunteers” fighting alongside regular troops.
CONTEXT:
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops. Ukraine believes that Russia’s goal is to destroy Ukraine’s statehood and bring the territory under Moscow’s control.
After the hostilities began, the world was shocked by the news of war crimes committed by Russian troops against civilians in Buch and other Ukrainian cities.
In the field of international law, one of the most discussed issues is how to establish an international tribunal to investigate and try crimes of Russian aggression.
Latvia has so far actively advocated for the creation of such a tribunal. The State President Egils Levits has also repeatedly emphasized the need for the creation of an international tribunal to try Russian crimes in Ukraine.
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