The systematic torture, murder and rape of civilians in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine has been well documented and recognized by the United Nations.
However, Putin has now been formally classified as a suspect in connection with a slightly less sensational subtype of war crimes – the forcible kidnapping of Ukrainian children to Russia.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 1998 under the auspices of the United Nations to investigate war crimes and genocide.
It was preceded by the Yugoslav Civil War and Rwandan Genocide Tribunals, which demonstrated the need for a permanent judicial body with international jurisdiction.
Theory and practice: How likely is it that Putin will be extradited?
The ICC does not have its own police forces. He relies on the national authorities of the signatory states to the Rome Statute to arrest suspects and transfer them to The Hague for trial on the basis of warrants.
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The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants.
Since its inception, the Court has issued a total of 38 arrest warrants. 21 people were arrested and 10 sentences passed.
Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, as do the US, China, India, Turkey and most post-Soviet states.
However, in most countries in Europe, Latin America and half of Africa (a total of 123 countries that have signed the founding statute of Rome), Putin should – at least in theory – be arrested and extradited to the Netherlands as soon as he arrives.
In practice, however, it is far from certain that this will happen, even if Putin takes the risk. A precedent already existed with the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was not arrested by the South African authorities in a similar case.
In addition to Putin and Bashir, the ICC has also issued arrest warrants for President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia.
On the one hand, Putin may be comforted by the fact that all three ex-presidents indicted by the ICC and other international UN tribunals ended up in the dock after falling from power.
On the other hand, one can also follow the pattern that none of the heads of state whose arrest was requested by the ICC ever managed to remain in power until their natural death.
Reactions to the arrest warrant against Putin
Here is how the historic decision of the Hague Court was perceived in Russia:
No need to explain where to use this paper: ?
Dmitry Medvedev, former President of Russia
I would like to see the country that will arrest Putin after the Hague judgment.
Margarita Simonyan, “Russia Today”
An arrest warrant for a dictator who has a nuclear suitcase and the power of the country firmly in his hands is the stupidest move imaginable.
Mikhail Svetov, opposition activist
If you meet Putin, feel free to arrest him and put him on trial!
