Russia's foreign ministry calls ICC's decision 'absurd'

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Thursday that the actions of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not affect the participation of Russian delegations in the United Nations and its affiliated bodies. Zakharova made the comments during a briefing and emphasised that the ICC's actions will have no bearing on Russia's standing within the UN. "Any actions of the International Criminal Court will have no effect on the nature of our delegations' participation in the work of the United Nations and membership in its bodies," she said, as per a report from TASS. "The actions of this structure with regard to the citizens of our country are legally null and void," she added. 

Maria Zakharova asserted that the International Criminal Court has never played a constructive role in resolving conflicts on the international stage. Zakharova's comments come in response to the ICC's recent decision to issue arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over allegations of "illegal deportation" of Ukrainian children. Zakharova referred to the ICC's decisions as "absurd" and argued that they only serve to further a negative image of Russia in the international community.

A quick look at the ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent international tribunal established in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. The court operates under the jurisdiction of the Rome Statute, which was adopted in 1998 and has been ratified by 123 countries as of 2023.

The roots of the ICC can be traced back to the Nuremberg Trials held after World War II, which established the principle of individual criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

The ICC has jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of a state party, as well as crimes committed by nationals of a state party or by individuals whose acts were authorized or condoned by a state party. The court also has jurisdiction over crimes referred to it by the United Nations Security Council.

As of 2023, 123 countries have ratified the Rome Statute, including most of Europe, South America, and Africa. Notable non-party states include the United States, China, India, and Russia. Ironically, the United States itself has refused to ratify the Rome Statute, citing concerns about the potential infringement on national sovereignty and the possibility of politically motivated prosecutions. China and India have also not ratified the treaty, while Russia signed but did not ratify the treaty, citing concerns about its impact on national sovereignty.