Liberal Internetional, 18.11.2016
Russia has become the latest country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the past month, with an announcement coming just weeks after an exodus of African nations including Burundi, Gambia and South Africa, and amid speculation that other nations are considering following suit.

The decision from Russia comes after an ICC ruling pronounced the Russian activity in Crimea as an “ongoing occupation”. With growing international concern at the support for international institutions, the Court has received the support from LI President Juli Minoves, one of the signatories to the founding document of the ICC, the Rome Statute, who said “we need more ICC not less ICC.”

Emilia Slabunova, Chair of the YABLOKO party (LI full member, Russia) said: “Russian leadership quickly finds “solutions” on the issues that are not in accord with the norms of international law: they distance the country not only from international institutions but even from the norms of international law. Moreover, they have been consistent in doing this. The next generation will have to work hard to regain the trust of the international community and restore the reputation of the state.”

Though Russia signed the Rome Statute in 2000, it never ratified the agreement to become a member.

Earlier this year, the LI President expressed the important role the ICC occupies in holding accountable those guilty of gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity, a key condition for liberal values to thrive.

“In a world in which autocrats constantly erode democratic principles, in which violence, massacre and crimes against humanity are unfortunately not eradicated, in which national justice systems sometimes fail to work, the ICC should stand strong and be supported by all of us as a guarantee that the highest crimes against a people will never go unpunished anywhere. One should insist that the ICC try more cases but to retreat from the court is to encourage and play into the hands of criminals present and future who just want to act with impunity,” said LI President.
The original publication http://www.liberal-international.org/site/Russia_is_the_latest_country_to_announce_resignation_from_ICC.html