Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Koliba has accused Russian soldiers of raping women and backed calls for a special tribunal to punish Moscow for aggression.
"Unfortunately we have numerous reports of Russian soldiers raping women in Ukrainian cities," Dimitro Coliba told a briefing at London's Chatham House think tank, according to AFP.
He did not provide details but supported an appeal by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and international law experts to set up a special court.
In view of the growing number of civilian casualties in Ukraine, Dmitry Koliba said that international law is the only decent source available to us to ensure that all those who have committed this crime will eventually be brought to justice.
"We are fighting an enemy that is stronger than we are, but international law is with us and we hope it will play its part in helping us," said Dimitro Coliba.
The dignitaries, including Gordon Brown, a former judge and jurist, called for a special tribunal on Wednesday, as the International Criminal Court (ICC) examines whether to prosecute alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
He said in a statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine was a serious challenge to the post-1945 international system.
He said that the Russian president had tried to change the rule of law and the principles of self-determination for all people by force, and that the aggression he had instigated and the atrocities he had ordered were known to the whole world. need to.
"We will spare no effort to end the horrific events we are witnessing now, to ensure that those who have caused such horrors are held accountable under criminal law," he said. Be subject to justice.
After the ICC office received support from 39 countries, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said an active investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine would move forward immediately.
Ukraine has also filed a lawsuit against Russia before the International Court of Justice, the only court that can rule on disputes between states.
"We propose to set up a special tribunal on the crime of aggression," he said, urging governments to sign the agreement recognizing the tribunal.
Referring to the formation of the Nuremberg Tribunal by the Allies to prosecute the Nazis after World War II, it was said that a special tribunal could be set up immediately to try the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
The declaration was signed by about 40 dignitaries and intellectuals, including former Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Fernandez.
