An international criminal tribunal to judge Russia
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called on Thursday for the creation of an “international criminal tribunal (ICT) ad hoc in order to judge “the perpetrators of the crime of aggression against Ukraine”, attacked for more than two months by Russia.
Headquartered in Strasbourg, the parliamentary body of the Council of Europe calls in a press release on the 46 “Member States and observers of the Organization” to set up “as a matter of urgency” a TPI with the “mandate to investigate and to prosecute” for the crime of aggression “allegedly committed by the political and military leaders of the Russian Federation”. This ICT should “apply the definition of the crime of aggression” established by customary international law.
Ten Russian soldiers indicted
Ten Russian soldiers were indicted on Thursday for alleged war crimes in Boutcha during their occupation in March, the office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine announced on their Telegram account. These soldiers allegedly participated in the “cruel treatment of civilians and other violations of the laws and customs of war”, they said.
According to the investigation, the Russian military “took civilians hostage who were not taking part in the hostilities and were unarmed. The occupants gave them neither food nor drink” and would have “inflicted injuries on them”, detailed the services of the prosecutor.
The ten men are the subject of research, in order to be arrested and brought to justice, according to the prosecutor. If they are not at this stage accused of “having killed civilians, the investigation continues into” their involvement in other crimes, she said.
OSCE leaves Ukraine
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) officially announced on Thursday the end of its observation mission in Ukraine after eight years of mandate, consequence of the veto put on its renewal on March 31 by Russia. “Russia’s position left us no other choice,” said the organization’s current president, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.
All decisions of the OSCE are adopted by consensus, and Moscow blocked, for the first time a little less than a month ago, the extension of the mandate of this mission.
This process was set up in 2014 after long negotiations between the West and Russia to monitor the application of the ceasefire between Ukraine and the two pro-Russian separatist regions in the east of its territory. Since then, the OSCE has been the only international body to document the situation on the ground.
One Briton killed in Ukraine, another missing
A Briton has been killed in Ukraine and another is missing, a British Foreign Office spokesman said Thursday. The ministry did not identify them, but said authorities were supporting their families and were “urgently seeking further information” about the missing person.
According to British media, the slain Briton, Scott Sibley, is believed to be a veteran of the British Army, and the two nationals were fighting against Russian forces as volunteers.
Shortly after Russia invaded his country on February 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the formation of an “international legion” of foreign volunteers to help him defend Ukraine.