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Rome Statute ratification not aimed against Russia — Armenian PM

According to Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia wants to turn to the International Criminal Code to call Azerbaijan to responsibility following the events of September 2022 and other developments

YEREVAN, September 11. /TASS/. Armenia’s possible ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is not directed against Russia but is linked with the situation on the border with Azerbaijan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Monday.

"As for the ratification of the Rome Statute, this process began in December 2022 and is not linked with Armenia’s relations with Russia. This process is linked with the situation around border tensions," he said in an interview with the Public television channel.

According to Pashinyan, Armenia wants to turn to the International Criminal Code to call Azerbaijan to responsibility following the events of September 2022 and other developments.

A source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS earlier that the Russian side had warned their Armenian colleagues about the negative consequences of Armenia joining the Rome Statute. The ministry stressed that Moscow viewed Yerevan’s ratification of the ICC Rome Statute as unacceptable amid ICC’s arrest warrants for the Russian leader.

The Rome Statute

The Rome Statute is an international treaty that established the International Criminal Court. It is also its Charter. The document was adopted at the diplomatic conference in Rome on July 17, 1998 and went into effect on July 1, 2002. It outlines the functions, jurisdiction and structure of the court (which is not part of the UN).

The ICC prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and acts of aggression. The amendment on crimes of aggression was passed in December 2017. The ICC exercises jurisdiction only over crimes committed after July 1, 2002 on the territory of a state party and nationals of state parties on the territory of any other country. If a crime is committed in a state that is not a party to the Statute or its nationals are suspected of grave crimes, the UN Security Council can issue a mandate to launch a criminal investigation.

States that are not parties to the ICC and seek to investigate crimes committed on their soil can issue a special statement to recognize the court’s jurisdiction over a crime. The UN Security Council can suspend the court’s work and any arrest warrants it issues. The ICC has jurisdiction only over individuals. The court can sentence a person to 30 years or even life in prison, but is prohibited from imposing the death penalty.