ICJ Sets Date to Hear Russian Objections to Ukraine’s Genocide Accusation

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has set Sept. 18 as the date to start its hearing of Russia’s objections to the court’s jurisdiction in a genocide case brought by Ukraine.

Ukraine filed a case with the ICJ shortly after Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, which accused Moscow of falsely applying the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to justify its full-scale invasion.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, gave an interim ruling on the case in March last year and ordered Russia to cease military actions in Ukraine immediately. While ICJ rulings are binding, it has no direct means of enforcing them.

Russia submitted its written objections to the jurisdiction of the court to consider the merits of Kyiv’s claim on Oct. 3. Moscow claimed that the convention had nothing to do with the full-scale invasion it euphemistically calls a “special military operation,” and that if there were any basis for Kyiv’s case it should be in relation to the United Nations Charter and the status of the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

The ICJ announced on Tuesday, Aug. 22 that hearings on the jurisdiction will start on Monday  Sept. 18, with submissions from Russia and a response from Ukraine the following day.

Thirty-two other nations, including Britain, Canada and Australia, have indicated that they would provide their input to the hearings, which are planned to be completed by Sept. 27.

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