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14/10/2022, 11:35

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‘There’s no immunity for international crimes,’ ICC prosecutor tells Euronews

By Euronews Brussels bureau

Not long after Russian missiles struck civilian targets in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing at least 19 people and wounding more than 100, the spectre of war crimes returned to the forefront.

“Appeasement has never worked and appeasement will never work. These are war crimes and the response has to be proportionate,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told Euronews on Monday.

Metsola’s words were echoed across Europe and beyond. US President Joe Biden spoke of senseless killings and “utter brutality.” Even China and India, two countries that have carefully avoided any direct criticism against Russia, expressed their concerns and called for de-escalation.

As Kyiv mourned the victims and rushed to rebuild its streets, calls for accountability mounted. But can these crimes be prosecuted? Will we ever see the perpetrators brought to justice?

For Karim Ahmad Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the answer is almost self-evident: wherever there is crime, there must be justice.

“We have a responsibility to show that international justice is not some theoretical construct, [that] it is actually felt by the victims and those that need the law the most, the most vulnerable, the children, the women and the men that are civilians,” Khan told our reporter Shona Murray during an interview in The Hague.

“I'm quite cognisant of the fact that international justice cannot be seen as an historical exercise looking into enquiries of past allegations of historical interest.”

For the past months, the ICC has been investigating potential crimes in Ukraine and trying to build a case for an eventual prosecution. But the court’s work is severely hampered by the fact that Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute: the ICC only has jurisdiction over crimes committed inside a state party or by a national from a state party.

Asked about the possibility of bringing Vladimir Putin himself before an international tribunal, Khan said his court, whose mandate is recognised by the United Nations, is the one best placed to deliver justice.

“There’s no immunity for international crimes,” he said.

“One of the Nuremberg principles is that there's no statute of limitations for war crimes or crimes against humanity. So, in terms of crimes that are hostis humani generis, that are crimes against humanity, that violate these basic principles of our humanity – there can't be a safe haven and the law has a role. We will do our part.”

Reflecting on the latest developments, including the Kyiv strikes, the blast on the Crimea Bridge and the Kremlin’s increasingly heated nuclear rhetoric, the prosecutor said the war was in a “very critical moment” and asked belligerents to respect the principle of proportionality.

“The minute we talk about tactical nuclear weapons, it’s not just the Twilight Zone, it’s the eve of a nightmare. And we need to take it extremely seriously,” Khan said.

“This is not a Hollywood movie," he added. "This is something that is up close and personal to many. And the Ukrainians that are scattered now throughout Europe, that are out of their homes, that are separated from their loved ones, those like members of my team that are in Kyiv that are in basements wondering when the next missile will hit – these civilians deserve every protection.”

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

THE FRONTLINE With 143 votes in favour and just 5 against, the United Nations General Assembly voted to condemn Russia's “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demand its immediate reversal. Kyiv celebrated the vote as a diplomatic victory while Moscow denounced the resolution’s sponsors as “unscrupulous Western blackmailers.” On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces claimed the recapture of five settlements in the Kherson region. In Brussels, fifteen European countries said they would jointly procure air defence systems under the new European Sky Shield Initiative. And in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron urged Putin to “come back” to the negotiating table after the Russian leader said he was “ready” to resume gas supplies to Europe.

ANTI-WAR PRIEST Meet Father Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko, a former priest in the Russian Orthodox Church, who has set out to prove that not everyone in Russia stands behind Putin’s war of aggression. “The problem of religious organisations in Russia is that, in fact, all of them are fake,” Father Grigory tells our colleague Aleksandar Brezar in this fascinating profile.

UPHILL STRUGGLE The Group of Seven (G7) has an ambitious plan to partially deprive the Kremlin of its greatest source of revenues: oil. But the G7 initiative, which will reverberate across the globe, faces a plethora of obstacles, chief among them the long shadow of OPEC, the all-powerful oil cartel. Jorge Liboreiro has the full analysis.

GLOVES OFF In a no-holds-barred interview with Euronews, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades denounced the EU’s “double standards” and “tolerance” towards Turkey, arguing it emboldens Ankara to disregard international law and risks triggering a new conflict in the continent. “Interests cannot take precedence over principles and values,” Anastasiades told Efi Koutsokosta. Read the full interview. Worth your time.

JOINT OPPOSITION Germany and the Netherlands have teamed up to resist an EU-wide cap on gas prices, fearing the move will encourage demand and disrupt the market. Kadri Simson, the European Commissioner for energy, admitted there is still not enough support for the unprecedented measure. It comes as Europe’s gas prices hit a three-month low, offering consumers a much-needed respite.

OUTSOURCING Denmark’s political parties are in campaign mode ahead of next month’s snap poll. While the main parties have shown their multiple disagreements, there is one subject where they have found common ground: a controversial plan to outsource asylum seekers from Denmark to Rwanda. David Mac Dougall examines why the plan is so popular across the political spectrum.

WAR ON DRUGS Drug smuggling through the port of Antwerp, Europe’s second largest, keeps breaking records, fuelling street violence and organised crime across Belgium. Christopher Pitchers travelled to Antwerp to find out if the war on drugs has already been lost or if there is still hope to turn the tide. Watch his report.

‘EUROPEAN FIRST’ The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court began this week hearing arguments on whether Scotland’s semi-autonomous administration can organise a new independence vote without Westminster’s consent. Even if the ruling is not expected for months, the reignited debate is prompting a change of heart among some Scots. Joshua Askew speaks with those who have gone from “no” to “yes,” driven by the political fallout from the 2016 Brexit referendum.

LET IT SNOW Whether you’re looking for fresh snow, cosy cabins or the best après-ski money can buy, it’s always best to do your research before you book. That’s why Euronews Travel brings you the top 7 places in Europe for the upcoming ski season. First stop: Kitzbühel, Austria.

IT'S IN THE NUMBERS

Some inspiring news: for at least five hours on Friday, renewables accounted for 100% of Greece’s power generation, reaching a record high of 3,106 megawatt hours. The latest data show that solar, wind and hydro make up 46% of Greece’s power mix.

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Italy is set for its 68th government in 76 years. Why such a high turnover?

Following last month’s general election, Italy’s new class of lawmakers met on Thursday to choose the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. After that, the parliament will be ready to approve a brand-new government, most likely headed by Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party. Believe it or not, the next cabinet will be the 68th government since the end of World War II. Averaging a new cabinet every 13 months, it seems that having a new prime minister has become something of an annual tradition in Italy. What explains this dizzying succession of comings and goings from Palazzo Chigi? From the dominance of the Christian Democrats in the 1950s to the far-right rise in the 2020s, Andrea Carlo dives deep into Italy’s never-ending political turnover.

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Take a peek inside a factory on the outskirts of Milan which manufactures the famous gold trophy of the football World Cup.

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