ICC Issues Warrant for Putin's Arrest, Here Are the Consequences

AMSTERDAM, – The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes. 

For this reason, ICC member countries are obliged to carry out an arrest warrant against Putin. 

However, it is unlikely that Putin will be arrested and imprisoned in The Hague, Netherlands, in the near future. 

Even so, an arrest warrant from the ICC would certainly interfere with his ability to travel freely and meet other world leaders. 

World leaders will also think about meeting Putin, as reported by Reuters, Saturday (18/3/2023). 

Currently, Putin is the third head of state in the world to be indicted by the ICC. Putin has been accused of being responsible for war crimes by deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. 

The Kremlin quickly rejected the accusations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the ICC's decision means nothing to Russia, including from a legal point of view. 

Obligation to arrest Putin

The 123 member states of the ICC are obliged to arrest and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory. 

Russia is not a member of the ICC. The three major countries, namely China, the US and India, are also not members of the ICC. 

The 123 member states of the ICC are obliged to arrest and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory. 

Russia is not a member of the ICC. The three major countries, namely China, the US and India, are also not members of the ICC. 

The world's permanent war crimes tribunal was created through the Rome Statute, a treaty ratified by all European Union countries, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, 33 African countries, and 19 countries in the South Pacific. 

Russia signed the Rome Statute in 2000. However, Moscow withdrew its support in 2016 after the ICC classified Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula as an armed conflict. 

“Putin is not stupid. He will not travel abroad to a country where he may be arrested," said Iva Vukusic, assistant professor of history at the University of Utrecht. 

"He won't be able to travel pretty much anywhere else outside of countries that are clearly allied or at least allied (with) Russia," Vukusic said. 

SOURCE: KOMPAS