Zelenskyy proposes to ratify Rome Statute - What is known
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that the Verkhovna Rada ratify the Rome Statute. One of the main reasons is the actions of the aggressor state on the territory of Ukraine, according to the draft law card No. 0285.
According to the draft law, Ukraine will ratify the Rome Statute but will not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over Ukrainians for crimes stipulated in Article 8 of the Rome Statute for seven years following ratification.
At the same time, Zelenskyy has introduced draft law No. 11484, which proposes amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine related to international crimes, following the provisions of the Rome Statute of the ICC.
To date, 124 states have ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC. However, several countries, including China, India, Belarus, Turkiye, Kazakhstan, and Russia, have not signed or ratified the statute. The United States signed the statute at one point but later withdrew its signature.
It is worth noting that Ukraine signed the Rome Statute back in 2000, but has not ratified it in all this time.
What is the Rome Statute
The Rome Statute is an international treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Specifically, the statute enables the ICC to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for four of the gravest international offenses:
- Genocide
- War crimes
- Crimes against humanity
- The crime of aggression
The Rome Statute also allows the ICC to initiate investigations against specific individuals, as was the case with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In June of this year, a discussion was held in the Office of the President regarding the necessity of ratifying the Rome Statute. Participants concluded that ratification would not pose any risks to Ukraine.
RBC-Ukraine reported that the Office of the President plans to complete preparatory work for the Rome Statute's ratification by the current year's end.
