The Council of Europe has officially announced the initiation of the process to establish an international Special Tribunal for the crimes of aggression committed against Ukraine. In global media, this tribunal has also been symbolically referred to as the "Tribunal for Putin."
This important and historic decision was made during a meeting of the Council of Europe ministers on May 14. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alena Bersch, has been tasked with organizing the tribunal and coordinating its operational processes.
According to Deutsche Welle news agency, relying on its sources in diplomatic circles, it is anticipated that all technical and legal processes related to the establishment of the tribunal will be completed by the end of 2025 or the beginning of 2026.
It is worth noting that in April of this year, a special working group, which included nearly 40 countries, the European Commission, the European Union's foreign policy service, and various institutions of the Council of Europe, completed the main project regarding the technical aspects of this international tribunal.
It should be mentioned that this special tribunal primarily plans to conduct judicial proceedings against 20 individuals, who are high-ranking officials of the Russian Federation. These individuals will be included in a special list prepared by the Ukrainian government, and they will not be able to claim functional immunity related to their positions. These individuals are high-level political and military leaders responsible for planning, preparing, and executing the aggression against Ukraine by Russia.
Among the individuals who may be held accountable in the initial phase of the tribunal are high-ranking officials such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. However, they may not be directly prosecuted while remaining in their positions. Nevertheless, investigations will be conducted against them, evidence will be collected, and indictments will be prepared.
Some legal sources emphasize that in order to issue summons and arrest warrants against high-ranking officials, their diplomatic and functional immunities must first be lifted. Therefore, there is a possibility that the trial against Putin, Mishustin, and Lavrov may be conducted in absentia.
This tribunal is expected to be an important step in the international community's legal response to the crimes of aggression committed by Russia.
The editorial team of Zamin.uz will closely monitor these international and historically significant processes and continue to bring updates to your attention in a timely manner.
