Ukraine approaches International Court of Justice against Russia
Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine on Sunday filed an application instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Ukraine's case in ICJ against Russia comes just after the country agreed to hold a meeting with Russia.
Ukraine filed an application instituting proceedings against Russia concerning "a dispute . . . relating to the interpretation, application, and fulfillment of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" (the "Genocide Convention"), the International Court of Justice said in a statement.
Also Read | Why is Russia declaring war against Ukraine? Here’s what you should know
In its Application, Ukraine contends, "the Russian Federation has falsely claimed that acts of genocide have occurred in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine, and on that basis recognized the so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic', and then declared and implemented a 'special military operation' against Ukraine".
Ukraine "emphatically denies" that such genocide has occurred and states that it submitted the Application "to establish that Russia has no lawful basis to take action in and against Ukraine for the purpose of preventing and punishing any purported genocide", read the statement.
Ukraine, in its case in ICJ against Russia, also accuses the Russian Federation of "planning acts of genocide in Ukraine" and contends that Russia "is intentionally killing and inflicting serious injury on members of the Ukrainian nationality -- the actus reus of genocide under Article II of the [Genocide] Convention", the statement added.
Taking to Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ.
"Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week," he tweeted.
Also Read | Why Russia doesn’t want Ukraine want to join NATO | All you need to know
-PTC News
