On January 26, PACE delegates strongly condemned Russia’s actions against Ukraine during the urgent procedure debate on “Legal and Human Rights Aspects of the Russian Federation’s Aggression against Ukraine” at the PACE Plenary Session.
Statements with the content “Russia is an aggressor, Ukraine is a victim” were made at the Assembly. In the report prepared by the delegate representing Switzerland, Damien Cottier (pictured), it is expressly stated: “The Assembly should establish that the acts of aggression carried out by the Russian Federation against Ukraine correspond to the definition of the crime of aggression under international law. Russian political and military leaders must be identified and held accountable. The Assembly should call for the establishment of an international compensation mechanism, including an international damage registry.
Debat: selon la procedure d’urgence sous reserve d’une decision de l’Assemblee – Questions juridiques et violations des droits de l’homme liees a l?agression de la Federation de Russie contre l?Ukraine. Presentation par M. Damien COTTIER Suisse ADLE Rapporteur AS/Jur
The Council of Europe should lead in creating and managing the future tool. The document also emphasizes the creation of a temporary international criminal tribunal for the crime committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. PACE MP Emanuelis Zingeris announced in his speech: “At the 4th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe to be held in Reykjavik, we only have to say what we are doing, or do we need to build institutions to hold Russia accountable?” PACE delegate Anne-Mari Virolainen also mentioned that Russia, while attacking Ukraine, attacked the whole of humanity. And she said: “I call on everyone to support the formation of a single platform, with which we will be able to condemn Russia. It is necessary to investigate to reveal the war crimes committed by the Russian Federation and to bring it to justice.”
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Ahmet Yıldız , the delegate representing Turkey, also mentioned: “Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim.” PACE delegate Ingjerd SCHOU emphasized that only the investigation is not enough; it is necessary to establish mechanisms to hold Russia accountable.” Ukrainian delegate Aleksey Goncharenko gave an emotional speech. He said that everyone asks him how life is in Ukraine, and he, in turn, asked how you wake up in the morning and mentioned that his children and everyone in Ukraine wake up under the alarm signal by turning on the alarm on the phone. Then he announced: “Many say we need a new Nuremberg for the new Nazis. But I think that Russia should be disarmed first. Russia had more than 13 thousand tanks during the war. You cannot stop Russia with statements; first, it needs to be disarmed; only then, a new Nuremberg is needed.” After the urgent procedure discussion, the Assembly adopted a resolution on this issue too.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Strasbourg
