International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan at the UN Security Council. (Archive) ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan Welcomes Ukraine’s Ratification of the Rome Statute International Law
On Friday, after his sixth official visit to Ukraine, International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan noted that amid the horrors of war, the Ukrainian government is setting an example for the international community by turning to the law as an ally. He stressed that justice can and must play a central role in countering aggression.
During the visit, Khan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, and Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin.
“At these meetings, I welcomed the president’s decision, which has already been endorsed by the Ukrainian parliament, to ratify the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court,” Khan said.
“The significance of this moment should not be underestimated. The fact that the state, in the midst of a violent conflict, is turning more decisively towards the law deserves recognition,” he added.
According to Khan, this decision can provide the people of Ukraine with protection under international law.
Crimes against children and attacks on civilian objects
The ICC prosecutor also said that his office continues to investigate crimes against Ukrainian children, as well as attacks on civilian objects in Ukraine.
“Those who encroach on Ukraine, those who trample on the rights of its people, those who believe they can use unlimited force to abuse vulnerable people, should know that we are united in our desire to hold them accountable. And this is a message not only to the top leadership, but to anyone at any level who is involved in these crimes,” Khan said.
Crimes in places of detention
According to Khan, in Gostomel he spoke with Ukrainians who told him that they were held hostage in an industrial freezer without light and tortured, and then illegally taken to Russia.
He emphasized that holding those responsible for crimes committed in places of detention, including torture and extrajudicial executions, to account is a new area of activity for his office and called on partners to participate in this work.
Partnerships with authorities and civil society
“As we seek to deepen our work in this area, our partnerships with national authorities, and in particular with the Eurojust Joint Investigation Team of Ukraine, will become even more important,” Khan said.
He also called civil society organizations an important ally of the ICC. During his visit, Khan met with their representatives. These organizations, he said, do important work documenting crimes and providing support to victims and their families.