Russia Refuses to Appear in Court for Ukraine Genocide Case
Ukraine has demanded that the Russian Federation should immediately suspend the military operations and provide a report to the Court on measures taken to implement the Court’s Order.
By RMN News Service
In the genocide case filed by Ukraine against Russia, the Russian Federation did not participate on 7 March in the hearing held by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
Ukraine had filed the case at ICJ after the Russian Federation launched a military offensive against Ukraine on 24 February. It is alleged that the Russian forces are deliberately attacking civilians in Ukraine – an action which amounts to genocide. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 1,123 civilian casualties in Ukraine up to 5 March 2022.
The public hearing on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Ukraine in the case concerning Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) was concluded on 7 March.
According to ICJ, oral arguments were presented by Ukraine. However, the Russian Federation did not participate in the hearing. In a letter sent on Saturday, 5 March 2022, the Russian Federation informed the Court that it has decided not to participate in the oral proceedings due to open on 7 March 2022.
The Court will now begin its deliberation. During the hearing, which opened on Monday 7 March 2022 at the Peace Palace, the seat of the Court, the delegation of Ukraine was led by Mr. Anton Korynevych, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as Agent.
In its appeal, Ukraine has demanded that the Russian Federation should immediately suspend the military operations and provide a report to the Court on measures taken to implement the Court’s Order.
The Court said in a statement that its decision on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Ukraine will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced in due course.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
