A Tribunal for Putin
The launch of a new international tribunal could mark a landmark moment for justice in Ukraine.
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Can the Council of Europe Create A Tribunal for Putin?
Ukrainian human rights defender argues this could be the platform on which the prosecution for the crime of aggression can be built.
What’s Holding up the Special Tribunal for Putin?
Ukraine is battling to build an international consensus over the denial of immunity.
“Justice is Costly, but Also Priceless.”
Head of Nobel peace prize winning NGO tells IWPR that Ukraine must win a “fundamental battle of values”.
Welcome to IWPR’s Frontline Update, your go-to source to hear from journalists and local voices at the front lines of conflict.
THE BIG PICTURE
The launch of a new tribunal to prosecute senior Russian officials for their role in the invasion of Ukraine could mark a landmark moment in the fight for accountability.
The special tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression against Ukraine has been hailed as not only an achievement for Ukrainian diplomacy but also for the country’s vibrant civil society.
VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE
“The special tribunal was symbolically announced in Lviv on May 9, as Vladimir Putin hosted a military parade in Red Square to mark the end of WWII,” said IWPR Ukraine country director Maryna Bezkorovaina. “And this is the first tribunal since the 1940s to ensure accountability for the crime of aggression committed by a state’s leadership against another nation.”
She noted that while the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Putin and other senior officials, it cannot prosecute the crime of aggression because Russia is not a signatory to the Rome Statute.
“Hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Russia and its allies took part in the invasion but this tribunal will look at a handful of people who are responsible for planning and authorising it from their positions in the Russian government, parliament and law enforcement bodies,” Bezkorovaina continued.
“The last time state leaders were charged with the crime of aggression was to bring those who started WWII to account. However, this tribunal, based in The Hague, is being assembled while the war is still ongoing and can start working before any kind of peace agreement is reached.”
WHY IT MATTERS
Popularly known as the Tribunal for Putin, the new legal instrument will operate within the framework of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights body.
Experts and activists had feared that the complexities involved would mean that the legal framework could be delayed for years.
But with the backing of nearly 40 leaders, the tribunal is an important demonstration of European unity as pressure ramps up on Russia to accept a ceasefire.
Originally founded by three Ukrainian human rights NGOs just a month after the full-scale invasion of February 2022, the initiative also demonstrates the driving force civil society plays in the fight for justice and accountability.
Nobel peace prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk heads the Centre for Civil Liberties, one of the Tribunal for Putin’s founding bodies, and an IWPR board member.
She told IWPR chief executive Anthony Borden that no matter the challenges ahead, there could be no substitute for international justice.
“It provides a foundation for democracy,” she continued. “It helps end the cycle of conflicts. Justice is costly, but it is also priceless.”
THE BOTTOM LINE
IWPR continues to cover the extensive war crimes justice processes ongoing in Ukraine and internationally, including providing specialist journalism training.
Recent work includes the publication of a new IWPR guide for the Ukrainian public on war crimes justice processes, part of crucial efforts to build understanding and support to ensure future accountability.
“It’s hard right now to imagine Russia handing over their top leaders to the tribunal, but this should not stop the execution of justice,” Bezkorovaina said. “Making this tribunal happen is probably one of the biggest victories for Ukrainian diplomacy – and civil society.”
