IBA chief supports creating international tribunal for russia

International Bar Association Executive Director Mark Ellis supported the creation of an international tribunal for russia

Rubryka reports, referring to the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

The deputy head of the Office of the President, Andrii Smirnov, had a meeting and discussed the creation of an international tribunal with the executive director of the International Bar Association, Mark Ellis.

He will investigate the crime of aggression and try russia's highest political leadership.

"The scale of war crimes committed by Russians in Ukraine is staggering. Since the beginning of the war, more than 40,000 war crimes have been committed in our country. 

On the one hand, these are the direct executors—Russian soldiers and officers who raped, killed, tortured, and gave criminal orders. 

But the main culprits are those who committed the 'supreme international crime'—aggression—and came to Ukraine with the war. This is Vladimir Putin and other top military and political leaders of Russia," Andrii Smyrnov said at the meeting.

It is necessary to consolidate the entire international legal community's efforts to restore justice and punish the perpetrators of this aggression.

Our goal is a fair trial and legal retribution, the deputy head of the President's Office emphasized.

According to him, right now, Ukraine must make it clear to all humanity that no one will escape from responsibility.

"In order to achieve legal retribution for the crime of aggression, we are initiating the creation of a special international tribunal, the mandate of which will be limited to proving guilt in committing the crime of aggression by Russia against Ukraine. 

I urge you to support this initiative. I urge you to use all your significant potential knowledge and skills so that no culprit avoids punishment. For us to witness a fair trial and legal retribution for the country, the myth of whose power is crumbling before our eyes," said Andrii Smyrnov.

For his part, Mark Ellis said that he fully supports the creation of an international tribunal.

"The Russian leadership, in particular Vladimir Putin, disregarded the inviolable principles of international law by starting a war against Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin committed the most serious crime – he committed aggression against your country. I believe that the court that will be created should focus on a narrow issue – Russia's aggression. 

The International Bar Association and I are ready to support the international tribunal and do everything in our power to ensure that the crime of aggression is punished," he said.

Reference

The executive director of the International Bar Association, Mark Ellis, cooperated with the international tribunals on the issues of Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

He also initiated a program to support judges in Iraq.

On his initiative, the eyeWitness to Atrocities mobile application was created, thanks to which it is possible to preserve evidence of war crimes.

Read Rubryka's timeline of war: current news on Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression.