ICJ to hand down judgment on whether it has jurisdiction to hear genocide case against Russia
In February 2022, Ukraine instituted proceedings in the International Court of Justice, declaring a dispute with Russia under the Genocide Convention.
President Donoghue (2nd L) and other judges during a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on a request by South Africa for emergency measures for Gaza. Picture: REMKO DE WAAL / ANP MAG / ANP via AFP
CAPE TOWN - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected on Friday to hand down a judgment on whether it is has jurisdiction to hear a case of genocide against Russia launched against it by Ukraine in 2022.
Russia has objected to these assertions and has questioned the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
The court’s judgment will come just a week after it agreed with South Africa that it has jurisdiction to hear a similar case against Israel over the killing of over 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
While 32 countries have backed Ukraine’s case at the ICJ, South Africa is not one of them.
In February 2022, Ukraine instituted proceedings in the International Court of Justice, declaring a dispute with Russia under the Genocide Convention.
This is the same convention under which South Africa lodged its dispute against Israel.
In March 2022, the court ordered an immediate stop to Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, which it ignored, questioning the court’s jurisdiction to admit the matter.
Russia made oral arguments to the court on these points in September of the same year.
It’s on these points of jurisdiction and admissibility that the court will finally rule on Friday afternoon in a public sitting in The Hague.
The declarations of 32 states in support of Ukraine have been accepted by the court.
The South African government has consistently insisted on neutrality in this war, advocating for peace talks and calling on Russia to de-escalate its military operations in Ukraine.
The UN says it’s noticed an uptick in civilian casualties in Ukraine since the start of the year, with over 10,000 people having died since the war broke out.