Support The Moscow Times!

Ukraine Accepts International Court, May Probe Kiev Deaths

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Ukraine has accepted the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, opening the way for a possible investigation into the violent crackdown by former President Viktor Yanukovych's government on demonstrators, the court announced.

Ukraine, which is not a member state of the court, accepted ICC jurisdiction from Nov. 21, 2013, to Feb. 22, saying attacks by Yanukovych's forces left more than 100 demonstrators dead in Kiev and other cities, according to documents released by the court Thursday.

A statement by Ukraine's parliament alleged that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies "unlawfully used physical force, special means and weapons toward the participants of peaceful actions" in Kiev and elsewhere "on the orders of senior officials of the state."

The statement said the attacks killed more than 100 people and injured more than 2,000. It also alleges that Yanukovych's government abducted, tortured and even killed some dissenters.

Yanukovych fled from Ukraine to Russia in February after months of protests by demonstrators angry at his decision to align his country more closely with Russia than Europe.

The court stressed that its prosecutors will now decide whether to open an investigation. If that happens, it said the ICC prosecutor will decide on the basis of the evidence whether to ask the ICC judges to issue arrest warrants or summonses to appear for people charged with committing crimes.

"The declaration is an important move to ensure that grave violations of human rights will not be forgotten and impunity will not be accorded to those who commit them," said Roman Romanov, of the International Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine. "The next step for Ukraine to take is to ensure its full engagement with the ICC as a cornerstone of the international justice system."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more