War in Ukraine: the International Criminal Court will not let go of Vladimir Putin, the international arrest warrant remains valid for life
The arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC) for Russian President Vladimir Putin will remain valid even if Russia's war against Ukraine ends.
"There is no statute of limitations on war crimes," ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan told BBC Radio on Monday.
The latter highlights Vladimir Putin's alleged responsibility for the war crimes committed in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country. The arrest warrants against the head of state and his commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, will therefore remain hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives, he said. "Unless they appear before the independent judges of the court and the judges decide to drop the charges. »
The arrest warrants are essentially symbolic. A trial seems to be out of the question for the time being.
The British lawyer and chief prosecutor in the trial of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in The Hague told Sky News reporters that because of the arrest warrant for him, Vladimir Putin has become a wanted criminal. "This label will stick to him for the rest of his life, unless he is tried and acquitted or, which is almost unthinkable, the ICC withdraws the arrest warrant," he explained. "The arrest warrant is a very, very important and encouraging step," he said.