Int'l Court of Justice starts hearing 'genocide allegations' against Russia

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - The hearing of the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) on "allegations of genocide" brought against Russia under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide started in The Hague, according to the UN on Monday.

"In The Hague, at 10:00 a.m. (0900GMT), the International Court of Justice is scheduled to hold a hearing on Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation)," said the notice by the UN Information Service in Geneva.

Russia boycotted hearings at the UN's highest court on Monday during which Kyiv is seeking an emergency order to halt hostilities, arguing that Moscow has falsely applied genocide law in justifying its war on Ukraine.

Meanwhile, at least 39 countries that are parties to Rome Statute, which established the court in 1998, had petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) to begin an investigation.

"I expressed my increasing concern, echoing those of world leaders and citizens of the world alike, over the events unfolding in Ukraine," ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan said on Feb. 28.

The hearing at the ICC, considered a rapid development, is scheduled to continue on Tuesday.

Last week, in the UN Human Rights Council, Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova drew a standing ovation after she pleaded with members to support a move to set up a commission of inquiry into "Russia's crimes in Ukraine."

- Human Rights Council

The following day, the Human Rights Council voted to set up an independent investigative commission on alleged human rights violations committed by Russia in Ukraine. Only Eritrea, along with Russia, voted against the resolution.

The council voted to investigate all alleged violations, human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes.

Of the 47-member council, 32 voted for the resolution and two – Russia and Eritrea – opposed it. China, also opposing the setting up of the investigation commission, abstained. China, Cuba, and Venezuela were among other abstaining countries.

Ukraine has accused Russia of bombing civilian targets since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24. The Russia-Ukraine war has forced more than 1.7 million people to flee their country, while Moscow's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, on Friday told journalists that it is a "special operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine."

Reporters Without Borders said on Sunday it has filed a war crimes complaint against Russia with the ICC for the bombing of television towers in Ukraine.

The head of the International Red Cross on Friday called on the parties to the Russia-Ukraine war to fulfill their legal obligations to avoid “further civilian suffering and loss of life.”

“Today, the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) is urgently reminding the parties to the conflict to fulfill their legal obligations to avoid further civilian suffering and loss of life,” Peter Maurer, the ICRC president, said referring to the Geneva Conventions that apply to conflicts.