International Criminal Court Attorney General (ICC) Karim Khan on Wednesday announcedthat he launched an investigation into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide in Ukraine. The BBC server informed about it.
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Already on Monday, a few days after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Khan said that he was going to start the investigation and that he would ask the relevant ICC panel for that. However, he announced on Wednesday evening that he had launched an investigation following complaints from 39 countries.
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Khan said he found sufficient reason to believe that crimes for which the ICC had jurisdiction could be committed. The investigation may cover anyone in any part of the territory of Ukraine during the period, the statement said.
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According to the BBC server, all EU countries, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland have filed a complaint. The EFE also named Australia, Colombia and Costa Rica.
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The ICC is an independent body that is not part of the UN. Its task is to try the perpetrators of crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes in the world. Proposals to initiate proceedings may be made by the State concerned, the plaintiff of the tribunal or the United Nations Security Council.
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Neither Russia nor Ukraine has yet joined the ICC. However, Ukraine lodged two complaints with him in 2013 and 2014, which, according to the EFE, gave it jurisdiction.
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Already in December 2020, Khan’s predecessor Fatou Bensouda announced its intention to launch an investigation into crimes that may have been committed on the Crimean peninsula in connection with its occupation by Russia and the two separatist republics in Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
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