ICC addresses “only the tip of the iceberg” - expert

An international conference "Strengthening Ukraine's efforts to investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and report on international crimes" was held in The Hague on Wednesday.

This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent on the ground.

Representatives from governments, law enforcement agencies, human rights organizations, lawyers and experts discussed topical issues related to the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of international crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.

"The Conference aimed to provide an opportunity for Ukrainian experts to engage with their Dutch and international colleagues. It is the final step of our 2020-2024 MATRA-Ukraine project funded by the Dutch MFA designed to assist Ukraine in its efforts to investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and report on International crimes Together with our project partner Global Rights Compliance, which was already working on the ground in Ukraine before we started the project, we have tried to help Ukrainian criminal justice professionals as well as scholars, civil society organizations and journalists in doing their important work under such difficult circumstances," the head of the MATRA-Ukraine project, Acting Chairman of the Executive Board and Academic Director of T.M.C. Asser Institute Christoph Paulussen said in a comment to Ukrinform.

During the conference, progress and achievements, as well as challenges in the probes, prosecution, and trials of international crimes in Ukraine were reviewed.

"It is very important to prioritize cases and also to pay special attention to crimes against and affecting children. It is essential to understand that victims have high expectations, but we are dealing with an enormous number of cases. It may not be possible to prosecute all perpetrators, at least in the short term. Therefore, I believe Ukrainians need to be prepared for this as well. Of course, I understand that many Ukrainians would like to see Putin behind bars, and I’m not saying that this won’t happen, but it may take a lot of time," Paulussen said.

He also noted that the International Criminal Court “can only address the tip of the iceberg”.

According to him, the ICC will focus on the most egregious cases for criminal prosecution, particularly those involving high-ranking officials, such as the top political and military leadership of a country.

It’s therefore no surprise to him that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant against Putin, who enjoys immunity before national courts, but not before the ICC.

"So, in reality, the main work must be done at the national level. It is therefore essential that we keep investing in ensuring that Ukrainian experts have enough knowledge and skills to pursue accountability for international crimes in compliance with international law," Paulussen said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 143,000 war crimes have been registered.