The establishment of the Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine will make it possible to investigate not only russia’s crimes, but also those committed by its allies in this war, including belarus and DPRK. Participation in the Tribunal will not be limited to the 46 Council of Europe member states — other countries may also join.
This was stated by Yevheniia Kravchuk, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, and Member of the Permanent Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
«A tribunal is established specifically for the crime of aggression — when one country decides to attack another. This tribunal, based in The Hague, will become the third of its kind in history, following the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals, which prosecuted Germany and Japan for launching World War II. In our case, the crime of aggression against Ukraine is not limited to the russian federation. Of course, the focus is on russia and its military-political leadership. However, for example, belarus provided its territory and airfields, and the DPRK sent regular troops and weapons. Therefore, the tribunal will be able to investigate and eventually prosecute the military and political leadership not only of russia, but also of belarus and DPRK,» the MP said.
According to her, participation in the Special Tribunal will not be limited to the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Other countries will also be able to join the initiative.
The MP added that the agreement signed between Ukraine and the Council of Europe on the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression is only the foundation.
«Next will be the signing of an agreement with the Netherlands, which has long agreed to host the tribunal in The Hague. After that, the agreement will need to be ratified by the parliaments of the participating countries. The agreement also addresses budgetary matters. It is expected that countries will not only issue statements but also contribute to the tribunal’s joint budget to ensure it becomes fully operational. Those countries that sign the agreement will be able to nominate a judge or prosecutor for the tribunal. Since this is an international tribunal, rulings will not be made in the name of Ukraine,» the parliamentarian emphasized.
She also underlined that the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine will play a key role in the process, as it will initiate charges against the military and political leadership of the aggressor state, after which international judges and prosecutors will take over the case.