The EU Parliament voted this morning on a resolution for the creation of an international tribunal investigating Russia’s crimes. Where will this decision lead?
As it was announced a few months ago, the European Parliament voted today for the creation of an international tribunal for war crimes in Ukraine. And the answer was a resounding “Yes”, with 472 votes in favor against 19.
This is not the only recent noteworthy vote by the European Parliament. Yesterday, the EU lawmakers voted in favor of adding the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to the “terrorist organizations” list.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) is the powerful repressive force used by the Iranian regime against protesters. Since September, the Persian country was engulfed in protests following the death of activist Mahsa Amini.
Decades of mistreatments and economical hardship exploded all at once, threatening the existence itself of the Iranian regime.
The IRGC was deemed a terrorist organization also for its support of Russia. Russia itself was appointed as a “state sponsor of terrorism” by the same Parliament a few months back.
Iran and Russia have very close military ties, so much so that many consider the two united by a defensive alliance. Iran provided Russia with many combat drones that were consequently used to bomb civilian targets in Ukraine, a war crime.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Iranian support to Russia has only just started, with hundreds of drones possibly coming to reinforce the Kremlin’s supplies.
The creation of a war tribunal
An international tribunal to investigate Russian crimes in Ukraine was initially proposed back in November. At the time, Russia was licking its wounds following the sweeping Ukrainian counter-offensive that re-took Kherson.
To reiterate against this humiliating defeat, Russia was constantly bombing Ukrainian civilian targets, killing dozens and leaving thousands without electricity, heating and water. This prompted international outrage and calls for punishment upon the Russian criminals.
The president of the EU Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen said at the time that 120.000 people had perished on the Ukrainian side. This figure was likely overestimated, and the video where she claims it was subsequently deleted.
However, the concept stuck, and today we finally came to the vote. The European Parliament does not have legislative power alone, so no international tribunal will be created from this vote.
The Parliament’s resolutions are however taken in high regards by the EU Commission, the real decision-maker of the Union. Given the vast majority of votes in favor, the Commission will likely bring the option of a tribunal forward.
Then, once created, this international tribunal will need jurisdiction to actually investigate war crimes. To get it, it will have to be voted for by the UN.
In practice, a long and slow bureaucratic process that barely started today. In the following months, however, we will surely see more of it.
