The Council of Europe wants a special court for Ukraine
The Council of Europe launched on Wednesday the process of creating a so-called special court for Ukraine, which follows the judgment of Russian officials for the invasion launched in 2022, reports the EFE agency.
The Ministers Committee of the Council of Europe, which held its annual meeting in Luxembourg, in charge of Secretary General Alain Berset with the launch of this judicial body based on an agreement with Ukraine, the Pan-European organization said.
The special court for Ukraine is presented as complementary to the International Criminal Court (CPI), which investigates war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide acts. Motivating that Russia did not ratify the status of Rome, the founding act of the CPI, the European allies of Ukraine imagined a separate mechanism, even if Russia is not part of it either.
The crime of aggression crime against Ukraine, a new legal concept created by the initiators of this court, considers the judgment of the high political and military leaders responsible for the planning, training or execution of the invasion, occupation or annexation of the Ukrainian territory, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
If they are not in the custody of this new court, that is, if they are not taught or captured, it will be able to initiate procedures against them, ‘in the interest of justice’.
Sources from the Council of Europe told the EFE agency that this body, whose headquarters could be in The Hague (where the CPI) could start at the beginning of 2026, after the main legal and financial obstacles will have been solved, although the work has already begun.
