Ukraine considers ratification of Rome Statute
Ukraine considers ratification of Rome Statute (photo: president.gov.ua)
The Presidential Office held a discussion on the need to ratify the Rome Statute. During the discussion, the participants came to the conclusion that ratification would not pose any risks to Ukraine.
The meeting, which was chaired by Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin and Deputy Head of the Prosecutor General's Office Iryna Mudra, was attended by representatives of the Ministries of Defense, Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate, and the National Police.
“The participants agreed that there are no risks associated with ratification: Ukraine has already recognized the jurisdiction of the court. Also, the International Criminal Court complements national criminal justice systems and accepts cases only when the national courts of a state are unable or unwilling to ensure accountability for certain crimes,” the President's Office said.
What is the Rome Statute
The Rome Statute is an international treaty that established the International Criminal Court. The statute defines the procedure of the court's work and the crimes it considers. In particular, the jurisdiction of the ICC extends to genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression.
The Rome Statute also allows the ICC to open investigations against specific individuals who have committed the most serious international crimes. The ICC has the power to investigate even the highest leadership of states.
The Rome Statute has been ratified by more than 120 countries to date. Ukraine signed the Rome Statute on January 20, 2000, but has not ratified it.
In October, Armenia ratified the Rome Statute.
