Russia declines to ratify International Criminal Court Statute

Russia has no intention to become a member of the Rome Statute, which is the basic document establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the relevant resolution signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The document was posted on the government’s legal information web portal on Wednesday.

Under the president’s resolution, the Russian Foreign Ministry will send the relevant notice to the UN Secretary-General, TASS reports.

The Rome Statute (The ICC Charter) was developed with Russia’s participation and adopted by the UN Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rome on July 17, 1998. It entered into force on July 1, 2002 and started operating in 2003. Russia signed the document on September 13, 2000.

A political analyst, Candidate of Historical Sciences Oleg Kuznetsov, speaking with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, reminded that the International Criminal Court in the Hague is the first permanent judicial body. "The ICC has jurisdiction in cases of genocide and war crimes, as well as in cases of crimes against humanity. Accordingly, the objective of the international criminal court is to prosecute individuals, who are guilty of violating the rules of international rights during hostilities," he noted.

The expert noted that, although an authorized representative of Russia signed the Rome Statute in 2000, our country has never accepted this international agreement as a federal law and it the President has not sign it. "Therefore, there is nothing new in the refusal to sign the Rome Statute," the political consultant explained.

Oleg Kuznetsov pointed out that the International Criminal Court is not recognized by the world's leading countries, primarily the United States, China, India, Israel, Iran, and Indonesia. "Thus, these countries with population of about 2/3 of the world's population refuse to recognize the main international judicial structure as a body, which will somehow regulate or restrict their domestic or foreign policy," he pointed out.

According to the lawyer, that is why no serious country will not protest against the decision of Russia. "It is known that the US President Bill Clinton signed the Rome Statute in 2000, but two years later the US canceled its signature. The United States pursues a quite aggressive foreign policy. And therefore, their politicians and military do not always adhere to the rules of international law in conduct certain operations. For example, the destruction of Libya and the murder of Muammar Gaddafi. This was a war crime, but nobody prosecuted these actions," the political consultant reminded.

He said that in the recent past, Russia's opponents tried to use the ICC as a tool of pressure against Russia in connection with the events in Syria. "Naturally, this operation does cannot avoid random victims, moreover, some victims are specifically provoked by foreign nations. That is why Russia, withdrawing its signature from the Rome Statute, finally made it clear that there will be no mercy for international terrorists in Syria," the expert stressed.

Kuznetsov noed that now, when Russia canceled its signature, the International Criminal Court becomes a fiction. "According to the provisions of the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court has jurisdiction in the cases identified in the UN Security Council's resolution. And now already three permanent members of the Security Council - the US, China and Russia - do not recognize the ICC," he emphasized.

The lawyer explained that if we evaluate this Moscow's step as a kind of political demonstration, it is a very serious Russia's response to possible threats to impose international sanctions. "First, the economic leverage, of course, bring Russia some damage, but do not affect the political situation in the country. Second, Russia's refusal from the Rome Statute deprives our opponents of many opportunities to affect our country. That is why we can say that the rejection from the Rome Statute in the current political and economic situation is rather good for Russia," Oleg Kuznetsov concluded.