World Court Orders Russia to Suspend Military Operations in Ukraine
Ukraine had filed the case at ICJ after the Russian Federation launched a military offensive against Ukraine on 24 February.
By RMN News Service
The UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday, 16 March, in The Hague that Russia must immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine.
By a vote of 13 to two, with Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian of Russia and Judge Xue Hanqin of China dissenting, the ICJ ruled that Russia “shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on 24 February.”
According to the UN, the court’s ruling – the first such verdict handed down by the ‘world court’ since the Russian invasion began – is in response to a suit filed by Ukraine on 27 February. Ukraine has accused Russia of manipulating the concept of genocide to justify its military aggression.
Although the ICJ’s verdicts are binding, the Court has no mechanism of enforcing them. As a result, it is likely that Russia will ignore the ICJ ruling and continue its military aggression in Ukraine.
Today’s ruling of the International Court of Justice @CIJ_ICJ requiring the Russian Federation to “immediately suspend the military operations” in Ukraine fully reinforces my repeated appeals for peace.
This war must stop. https://t.co/BK1pwvmMUT
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 16, 2022
“Today’s ruling of the International Court of Justice requiring the Russian Federation to immediately suspend the military operations in Ukraine fully reinforces my repeated appeals for peace. This war must stop,” tweeted UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
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 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.
In its order of 16 March, 2022, the ICJ also directed the Russian Federation to provide a report to the Court on measures taken to implement the Court’s Order on Provisional Measures one week after such order and then on a regular basis to be fixed by the Court.
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).
