ICC has jurisdiction to investigate executions of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces

This was stated by the International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan in The Hague, answering whether the ICC could start an investigation into the executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian soldiers, Babel's correspondent reports.

“Even wars have rules, and no one has the right to execute a civilian or a prisoner of war. And if such a person acts with impunity, then it will fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC, because we have jurisdiction over the events in Ukraine,” he emphasized.

Khan added that the International Criminal Court has a methodology and strategy for investigating the situation in Ukraine and cooperates with Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General, but is independent.

The ICC looks at many factors before deciding which investigation to take on.

Karim Khan explained that the office assesses the seriousness of the charges, the availability of evidence, and the commitment to proceed at a relevant pace, while following where the evidence leads. He emphasized that their focus is on these aspects and noted that he aimed to speak less, demonstrating a new approach where the office investigates cases not only in Ukraine but in various other situations.