President Biden called Vladimir Putin a war criminal. However, does that make him one? Also, who will give the verdict on this? Read to find out.
Is Vladimir Putin a war criminal?
On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin a war criminal for his assault on Ukraine. The military has been assaulting the nation and its people by bombing maternity wards and hospitals. However, people calling Putin a war criminal will not essentially make him one. There are definitions and methods for determining who is a war criminal and their punishments.
The term war criminal applies to those violating the rules known as the law of armed conflict. They are the rules governing how nations behave during the war. However, over the past century, following the second world war, it was drawn from the geneva conventions. They are aimed at protecting people that are not fighting or can not fight anymore. This includes nurses, doctors, prisoners of war, and the wounded. They also detail who can be targetted, what weapons can be used and not etc.
According to the grave breaches of the Geneva conventions, war crimes include willful killing, extensive destruction, and property appropriation. Killing civilians deliberately, using human shields, taking hostages, and using disproportionate force are also war crimes. According to the International Criminal Court (ICC), they are also prosecuting in the context of a “widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population”.
How do they serve justice for war crimes?
The most possible way for Vladimir Putin‘s trial is through the legal principle of command responsibility. There are four ways for investigating and determining war crimes committed by Putin. The first is through the ICC. However, it can take a very long time and might not go through. The second option is the UN turning its inquiry into a war crimes tribunal for prosecuting Vladimir Putin. Additionally, the creation of a court or tribunal for trying Putin by organizations such as NATO is also possible. The Nuremberg trials against the Nazi leaders are one such example.
Lastly, some nations such as Germany have laws for prosecuting war crimes. Germany is currently investigating Putin. While the US does not have a law, its justice department has a section for focusing on acts such as torture, genocide, recruiting children for military and female genital mutilation. But, since Russia has pulled out of the ICC, it will likely not be sending any suspects to Hague, Netherlands where the ICC headquarters is located at. While Vladimir Putin can undergo trial in another country or by another organization, it is difficult.
