Bucha’s war crimes have fueled international calls to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for the excesses of violence. But where and how could the Russian President and other leaders be brought to justice?
US President Joe Biden found clear words: “This guy is brutal. It’s disgusting what happened in Bucha and everyone saw it,” said Biden on Monday (local time) in Washington about Vladimir Putin. The Russian president “should be held accountable”. The killing of civilians in the suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is a war crime, the details of which must now be meticulously documented “so that there can be a war crimes trial”. German government officials also accuse Putin of being a war criminal. But how and where could the Russian ruler be brought to justice?
The dish in question would be the International Criminal Court in The Hague. He prosecutes individual suspects for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide and has a mandate for the territory of Ukraine. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has already initiated investigations into war crimes in Ukraine and sent a team to the war zone. It is unclear whether the investigators have already traveled to Bucha.
War Crimes: Collect Comprehensive Evidence
What matters is that evidence as early and as comprehensively as possible to be collected. Because they are the basis for an indictment. The public prosecutor’s office of Ukraine, a European investigative team and human rights organizations are also collecting evidence such as photos, videos, remains of ammunition and testimonies from eyewitnesses.
The prosecutors must first prove that war crimes were committed. This means, for example, that the victims of Bucha were actually defenseless citizens. This is indicated by the photos, and eyewitnesses confirm this.
Bucha: Were they really Russian soldiers?
The second question investigators must answer is: Who are the perpetrators? Were they actually Russian soldiers?, then they are subject to the official command structure. In that case, their commanders can also be charged.
The third question for the prosecutors is: Did the military and political leaders, such as Putin, know about the soldiers’ war crimes? Resolving this question will be the most difficult. The International Criminal Court wants to prosecute those responsible militarily and politically. Even heads of state and government cannot invoke their immunity. But it is very difficult whose responsibility even to prove.
Vladimir Putin: Every state party would have to arrest him
Only if the Suspicion sufficiently justified and backed by evidence, Chief Prosecutor Khan can international arrest warrant apply for. However, it seems impossible that Russia would extradite the president to The Hague. A prerequisite for this would probably be a regime change in Moscow.
But an arrest warrant should not matter to Putin. Then each Contracting State of the court would be obliged to arrest him upon entry and handed over to the court in The Hague. His freedom of movement would then be extremely restricted, he would be even more isolated than now.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
