Switzerland has joined the countries advocating for the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate war crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine
This was reported on the website of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Switzerland’s participation in this core group complements its support for national and international efforts towards the judicial prosecution and adjudication of all international crimes committed in Ukraine. Switzerland is firmly convinced that the aggression (by Russia) against Ukraine should not go unpunished”, the Swiss foreign affairs department stated.
Switzerland officially joined the core group of countries supporting the creation of the special tribunal during a meeting in Berlin on November 16, where the country was represented by Ambassador Franz Perez, the head of the Directorate of International Public Law at the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the ministry’s statement, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has the authority to prosecute and judge war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine. However, it lacks jurisdiction over the “crime of aggression” in the Russian-Ukrainian war, as neither Russia nor Ukraine has ratified the Rome Statute.
In addition to supporting the creation of a special tribunal for Russia, Switzerland will seek a review of the Rome Statute to facilitate the ICC’s jurisdiction over the “crime of aggression” in all contexts.
It is known that a coordination group of 38 countries is considering the option of creating an internationalized tribunal for the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, as well as a tribunal model based on a UN General Assembly resolution. An internationalized tribunal could prosecute under Ukrainian law, which provides for a trial in absentia but grants immunity to Putin. However, the establishment of a tribunal through the UN may be hindered by the positions of several countries.
Recall that in May 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, announced that the number of countries supporting the creation of a special tribunal for Russia had increased to 37. Additionally, a “Joint Statement on Efforts to Establish a Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine” appeared on the ministry’s website. It noted that summit participants unanimously confirmed their support for holding the highest political and military leadership of Russia accountable for the aggressive war against Ukraine.
Photo: open sources
