Russia was conspicuous by its absence Monday at the public hearings of the International Court of Justice, while Ukraine asked the main UN court to order Moscow to immediately cease all hostilities on its soil.
Before the Court, Kiev denounced the invasion that began on February 24, arguing that Russia invoked “an alleged genocide” committed in Ukraine to justify it.
“The Russian Federation has falsely claimed that acts of genocide have been committed in the Ukrainian oblasts of Luhansk and Donetsk, recognizing on this basis the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ and ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’, and that it then announced and implemented a ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine,” the country denounced in its petition.
Ukraine “categorically denies” that such a genocide took place, and declares that it has filed its request to establish that the intervention of the Russian Federation “is devoid of any legal basis”.
“That’s a horrible lie. Putin [le président de la Russie] is lying, and our citizens, the Ukrainians, are dying,” Ukraine’s representative Anton Korynevych told the court.
He had this message for Moscow: “Lay down your arms and show your evidence. »
Ukraine also returns the ball to him: it accuses the Russian Federation “of planning acts of genocide in Ukraine” and affirms that Moscow “intentionally kills people of Ukrainian nationality and seriously damages their physical integrity”.
Mr. Korynevych noted that he was in the Great Hall of Justice at the Peace Palace, which is the seat of the Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday. Insisting on the words “peace” and “justice”, he lamented that during this time, his country is facing “a war of aggression” and that his fellow citizens are suffering “the injustice of Russian bombs and missiles”.
empty seats
Russia’s white seats were empty Monday morning.
On Saturday, she had informed the International Court by letter that she had decided not to participate in the hearings held at the Peace Palace.
“The Court regrets the failure of the Russian Federation to appear,” said US Judge Joan E. Donoghue, who presides over the Court.
The hearings were supposed to last two days, but were cut short by Russia’s decision not to take part.
Judge Donoghue thus took the case under advisement, without setting a date to announce her decision.
Anton Korynevych also asked the Court to order Russia to refrain from any act likely to aggravate or extend the conflict, and to ensure that hostilities are not continued by “irregular” military units backed or directed by Russia.
The International Court of Justice is the highest court dedicated to resolving disputes between states. Although it frequently takes years for a judgment to be rendered in a dispute, an expedited procedure exists, which is the route chosen by Ukraine. The Court can then quickly order “provisional” measures to prevent a conflict from escalating.
The Genocide Convention was the first human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 9, 1948. Both Ukraine and Russia have ratified it.