Latest news with #Berset
CNN
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Zelensky and European rights body establish tribunal to allow prosecution of Russian leaders
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed an agreement with the Council of Europe (CoE) to create a tribunal that would allow for the prosecution of senior Russian officials who have led the war on Ukraine. Zelensky signed the accord on Wednesday alongside CoE Secretary General Alain Berset in the French city of Strasbourg, where the organization is headquartered. The Ukrainian leader has portrayed the special tribunal as paramount to holding Russian officials responsible for the full-scale invasion of his country, which began in February 2022 and has grinded on for more than three years, with a huge human cost. The establishment of the tribunal is aimed at widening the net for those who can be tried over the conflict. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which focuses on crimes against humanity, has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other high-profile political and military Russian figures. The new body will deal with the crime of aggression, specifically regarding the use of armed force by one state against another. It marks the first time that the CoE has set up such a tribunal. 'The Tribunal, formally launched today, creates a real opportunity to hold the leadership of the Russian regime accountable for the crimes committed against our state and our people,' the Ukrainian president wrote on X. 'We will continue working to ensure justice for all victims. Criminals must face trial in The Hague and be punished.' Berset said: 'This historic signature reminds us that international law must apply to all – with no exceptions, and with no double standards.' Alongside Putin, the ICC, based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's presidential commissioner for children's rights, in March 2023. Both are accused of the illegal deportation and transfer of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. In March 2024, the court also issued arrest warrants for Viktor Sokolov, a Russian navy officer and former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, and Sergei Kobylash, a lLieutenant general in the Russian Armed Forces. The two are accused of the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts. Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Ukraine have mostly stalled despite mediation from the Trump administration. The talks between Russia, Ukraine and third countries have struggled to make progress after Moscow refused to back off its maximalist demands and presented a ceasefire proposal that would essentially amount to Ukraine's capitulation. At the same time, Russia keeps ramping up its attacks against Ukrainian cities. Russian forces killed dozens of Ukrainian civilians in less than 48 hours on Monday and Tuesday, according to Ukrainian officials, two of the deadliest days in many months.
Al-Ahram Weekly
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Zelensky, Europe rights body sign accord for Ukraine war tribunal - War in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday signed an accord with pan-European rights body the Council of Europe for establishing a special tribunal to try top officials responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The court would prosecute the "crime of aggression" in the invasion, which Russia launched in February 2022, and could, in theory, try senior figures up to President Vladimir Putin. "We need to show clearly aggression leads to punishment and we must make it happen together, all of Europe," said Zelensky after signing the accord with Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset. "There is still a long way to go. Justice takes time but it must happen," he added, saying the accord is a "real chance to bring justice for the crime of aggression". "Every war criminal must know there will be justice and that includes Russia," said Zelensky. Berset said the next step to set up the tribunal, which the Council of Europe hopes could start work next year, would be an enlarged agreement to "allow the widest possible number of countries to join, to support, and to help manage the tribunal". It has not yet been decided where the tribunal would be based. "International law must apply to all, with no exceptions and no double standards," said Berset. This is the first time such a tribunal has been set up under the aegis of the Council of Europe, the continent's top rights body. The 46-member Council of Europe is not part of the EU and members include key non-EU European states such as Turkey, the UK and Ukraine. Russia was expelled in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine and its supporters want to see justice served for Russia's all-out invasion in 2022 and European foreign ministers endorsed the creation of the tribunal in a meeting in Lviv in western Ukraine on May 9. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Putin over the abduction of Ukrainian children and four of his top commanders for targeting civilians. But the ICC does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute Russia for the more fundamental decision to launch the invasion -- otherwise known as the "crime of aggression". According to the Council of Europe, the tribunal will be set up within the framework of the body "with the mandate to prosecute senior leaders for the crime of aggression against Ukraine". It said the tribunal "fills the gap" created by the "jurisdictional limitations" of the ICC. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
RTÉ News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
'Important step' as tribunal on Russian aggression agreed
Ukraine and the Council of Europe human rights body have signed an agreement on forming the basis for a special tribunal intended to bring to justice senior Russian officials for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset signed the accord in the French city of Strasbourg at the Council's headquarters. "This is truly a very important step. Every war criminal must know there will be justice and that includes Russia. We are now boosting the legal work in a serious way," Mr Zelensky told the ceremony. "There is still a long road ahead. Today's agreement is just the beginning. We must take real steps to make it work. It will take strong political and legal cooperation to make sure every Russian war criminal faces justice, including (President Vladimir) Putin". Ukraine has demanded the creation of such a body since Russia's February 2022 invasion, accusing Russian troops of committing thousands of war crimes. It is also intent on prosecuting Russians for orchestrating the invasion. The 46-member Council of Europe, set up after World War II to uphold human rights and the rule of law, approved the tribunal in May, saying it was intended to be complementary to the International Criminal Court and fill legal gaps in prosecutions. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant against Mr Putin, accusing him of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Mr Berset said the next step to set up the tribunal, which the Council of Europe hopes could start work next year, would be an enlarged agreement to "allow the widest possible number of countries to join, to support, and to help manage the tribunal". It has not yet been decided where the tribunal would be based. "International law must apply to all, with no exceptions and no double standards," said Mr Berset. This is the first time such a tribunal has been set up under the aegis of the Council of Europe, the continent's top rights body. The 46-member Council of Europe is not part of the EU and members include key non-EU European states such as Turkey, the UK and Ukraine. Russia was expelled in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. According to the Council of Europe, the tribunal will be set up within the framework of the body "with the mandate to prosecute senior leaders for the crime of aggression against Ukraine". It said the tribunal "fills the gap" created by the "jurisdictional limitations" of the ICC. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said that European supplies of arms and mercenaries to Ukraine had increased the threat of destabilisation in Europe, the Interfax news agency reported. "Attempts to prolong military actions by supplying Ukraine with arms and mercenaries increase the threat of destabilisation. Including in Europe itself," Mr Belousov was quoted as saying. Meanwhile Russia's air defence units destroyed 50 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defence ministry said. Nearly half of the drones were downed over the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine, while the rest were destroyed over several Russian regions, including three over the Moscow region, the ministry added. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said specialists were examining debris on the ground. Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport suspended departures and arrivals in response to the threat, news agencies quoted aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya as saying. Restrictions were also in place for a time at airports along the Volga River.
France 24
25-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Zelensky and Council of Europe rights body sign accord for Ukraine war tribunal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday signed an accord with pan-European rights body the Council of Europe for establishing a special tribunal to try top officials responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The court would prosecute the "crime of aggression" in the invasion, which Russia launched in February 2022, and could, in theory, try senior figures up to President Vladimir Putin. "We need to show clearly aggression leads to punishment and we must make it happen together, all of Europe," said Zelensky after signing the accord with Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. "There is still a long way to go. Justice takes time but it must happen," he added, saying the accord is a "real chance to bring justice for the crime of aggression". "Every war criminal must know there will be justice and that includes Russia," said Zelensky. 02:16 Berset said the next step to set up the tribunal, which the Council of Europe hopes could start work next year, would be an enlarged agreement to "allow the widest possible number of countries to join, to support, and to help manage the tribunal". This would mark the first time that the Council of Europe has set up a special tribunal. It has not yet been decided where the tribunal would be based. "International law must apply to all, with no exceptions and no double standards," said Berset. This is the first time such a tribunal has been set up under the aegis of the Council of Europe, the continent's top rights body. The 46-member Council of Europe is not part of the EU and members include key non-EU European states such as Turkey, the UK and Ukraine. Russia was expelled in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine and its supporters want to see justice served for Russia's all-out invasion in 2022 and European foreign ministers endorsed the creation of the tribunal in a meeting in Lviv in western Ukraine on May 9. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has already issued arrest warrants for Putin over the abduction of Ukrainian children and four of his top commanders for targeting civilians. But while the ICC is empowered to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, it does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute the "crime of aggression" – that is, the decision to launch an armed attack on another state in contravention of the UN Charter. According to the Council of Europe, the tribunal will be set up within the framework of the body "with the mandate to prosecute senior leaders for the crime of aggression against Ukraine". It said the tribunal "fills the gap" created by the "jurisdictional limitations" of the ICC.
Epoch Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Council of Europe Chief Rejects Calls to Make ECHR More Flexible on Immigration
The Council of Europe's secretary general, Alain Berset, has rejected calls from EU leaders to make the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) more flexible on immigration. Nine EU countries signed an On May 24, Berset said in a The Council of Europe (CoE) was established in 1949 to promote democracy, protect human rights, and uphold the rule of law in Europe. It also monitors member states' progress in adhering to its human rights standards. Its best-known convention is the ECHR. The European Court of Human Rights oversees how it is implemented. The letter, organized by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, and co-signed by leaders such as Poland's Donald Tusk, said that the court 'posed too many limitations on the states' ability to decide whom to expel from their territories' in terms of the deportation of criminal foreign nationals. Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania also signed the letter requesting 'a new and open minded conversation about the interpretation' of the ECHR. The letter said the scope has extended 'too far as compared with the original intentions behind the Convention, thus shifting the balance between the interests which should be protected.' Related Stories 5/2/2025 11/8/2024 Berset dismissed the letter and said that 'debate is healthy, but politicizing the Court is not.' He said: 'Institutions that protect fundamental rights cannot bend to political cycles. If they do, we risk eroding the very stability they were built to ensure. The Court must not be weaponized—neither against governments, nor by them.' Europe is hardening its Illegal immigrants are entering the EU primarily via Mediterranean sea crossings from North Africa and by overland routes through Poland and the Balkans, according to data from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. Illegal crossings are usually arranged by organized criminal networks and smugglers. Under pressure from parties with strong anti-illegal immigration platforms, establishment political parties have steadily abandoned their previous immigration stances and supported the reintroduction of Under the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum, member states are looking to strike agreements with non-EU states to handle asylum claims extraterritorially, potentially setting up processing centers in North Africa or beyond. On While no third countries have been chosen yet, in 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen In April, Italy became the first EU state to successfully send illegal immigrants beyond the bloc's borders, after its first three attempts were blocked by national and European courts. Meloni's By adding Albania to its own safe third-country list and rebranding detention centers as 'repatriation hubs,' Italy bypassed a European Court of Justice ban. On April 14, Italy sent 40 illegal immigrants to the Italian-run centers in Albania.
