Skip to main content
International

Russia’s been accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine. What does that mean?


Lithuania has requested that the International Criminal Court investigate Russia for war crimes as well as crimes against humanity in Ukraine. According to the International Criminal Court (ICC), war crimes include:

  • Willfull killing–or causing the death of a protected person, like a civilian
  • Torture
  • Willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury
  • Extensive destruction and appropriation of property
  • Compelling a prisoner of war or other protected person to fight for a hostile power
  • Willfully depriving a prisoner of war the rights of a fair and regular trial
  • Unlawful deportation or confinement
  • Taking hostages
  • Intentional attacks against civilians, non-military targets, peacekeepers and humanitarian aid
  • Killing or wounding soldiers who’ve surrendered
  • Employing poisoned weapons
  • Rape and sexual slavery
  • Enforced sterilization
  • Forced pregnancy
  • Enlisting children under 15

Many of the crimes involve civilian harm. According to the United Nations, at least 102 civilians have died in Ukraine since Russia invaded the country.

BOMBS.

GUNS.

AND DEATH – ALL TRAGIC, PREDICTABLE PARTS OF BATTLE.

BUT, IN A WAR, SOME BEHAVIOR IS ACTUALLY OFF LIMITS. AND, TECHNICALLY, CAN BE CONSIDERED A CRIME.

SO, WHAT, EXACTLY, IS A WAR CRIME?

LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.

INTERNATIONAL RULES AGAINST SPECIFIC ACTIVITY DURING WARTIME FIRST CAME OUT OF THE 1949 GENEVA CONVENTIONS.

MORE RECENTLY, THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (OR ICC) LISTED THEM:

WILLFULLY DEPRIVING A PRISONER OF WAR THE RIGHTS OF A FAIR AND REGULAR TRIAL

INTENTIONAL ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIANS, NON-MILITARY TARGETS, PEACEKEEPERS AND HUMANITARIAN AID

RAPE AND SEXUAL SLAVERY

THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT INVESTIGATES THESE CRIMES WITH A PROCEDURE SIMILAR TO THE UNITED STATES’ LEGAL PROCESS.

THE CATCH IS, THE ICC DOESN’T HAVE ITS OWN BODY OF PEOPLE TO ENFORCE THESE INTERNATIONAL RULES.

SO IT’S LEFT UP TO COUNTRIES TO ARREST AND TRANSFER ACCUSED PEOPLE TO THE ICC DETENTION CENTER IN THE HAGUE–A CITY IN THE NETHERLANDS.

ULTIMATELY, WITHOUT A WAY OF ENSURING THESE COUNTRIES DO THEIR PART, MANY WAR CRIMES GO UNRECOGNIZED AND UNRESOLVED. THE PERCENTAGE THAT’RE ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO TRIAL TAKE YEARS TO PROSECUTE, AND THE MORE TIME THAT PASSES, THE LESS ATTENTION THEY GET.

GOT IT STRAIGHT?

LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS AND MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE STRAIGHT ARROW BIAS METER.