PACE calls for establishment of special tribunal, underscores Russia's genocidal policy

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on the legal issues and human rights violations related to the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.

According to an Ukrinform correspondent from Strasbourg, 88 deputies supported the document.

The resolution, in particular, calls on the United Nations to provide support for the establishment of a special tribunal, underscores Russia's genocidal intent to destroy the Ukrainian nation, and calls on states to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

“The Assembly considers that the Russian official and public media rhetoric used to justify the unlawful aggression may constitute direct and public incitement to genocide or reveal a genocidal intent to destroy the Ukrainian national group as such or at least part of it, within the meaning of the 1948 Genocide Convention,” the document reads.

This constitutes a growing body of evidence that Russia attempts to commit genocide against the Ukrainians or at least publicly incites to it, as part of the propaganda displayed to justify its war of aggression.

The deputies appeal to PACE member states and observer states to consider designating the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The PACE also calls on the United Nations General Assembly to support this process, by adopting a resolution that would endorse the special tribunal.

The Assembly calls for all the necessary documents for a possible draft agreement between the Council of Europe and the Government of Ukraine on the establishment of a special tribunal to be prepared as soon as possible, and for its Statute to be drafted, as well as an enlarged partial agreement governing the modalities of support to such a tribunal, its financing and other administrative matters.

As a reminder, the PACE summer session in Strasbourg on Wednesday adopted two more resolutions in support of Ukraine - one on the protection of cultural heritage and identity, the other calling for expanding the list of sanctions against Russia and strengthening control over the implementation of such decisions.