Human rights activists handed over Hague Court evidence of crimes in Crimea (VIDEO)

The report recorded cases of enforced disappearances, unlawful detentions, tortures and murders in the occupied Crimea.

Human rights activists presented the report «War crimes in the occupied Crimea» at a press conference in Kiev on Thursday, November 17.

As the director of the human rights organization «International Partnership for Human Rights» (IPHR), Brigitte Dufour said the International Criminal Court is provided with documented material facts of 7 killings, 15 forced disappearances, 90 cases of illegal detention, 39 cases of torture and other forms of inhuman treatment. The court is also handed over information on cases of forced taking possession of public and private property and forced displacement of almost 60 thousand people.

According to Dufour , the report had been prepared for two years in close cooperation with the organization «KrymSOS», the human rights contact group in Crimea and other public organizations. Data about crimes were collected directly by field missions. The evidences and proofs are based on interviews, witnesses and victims of crime.

One of the speakers at the conference, a lawyer and a project manager of the human rights organization «IPHR», Simon Papuashvili said the data provided by human rights activists are now in the Department of preliminary consideration of the International Criminal Court. According to him, it takes a long time nearly a few years for a court to make decision to initiate an investigation.

Coordinator of field missions organization «International Partnership for Human Rights», Svetlana Valko told about the consequences might cause from the investigation of crimes in the occupied Crimea:

«This court (the International Criminal Court − ed. «15 minutes») focuses on senior officials who gave orders. If the court issues an arrest warrant, that person can take a step no more than 130 countries that are member states of the Rome Statute. If we are speaking not legally, but politically, this step is very important. It’s one thing to consider someone as a political force, but it’s quite another if a person has the status of a war criminal».

Answering the journalists’ question whether the decision of the International Criminal Court against the country without being under its jurisdiction will have legal force, human rights activists commented on that it will not prevent the International Criminal Court to issue an investigation against the perpetrators:

«It will not affect the trial being an independent judicial institution. Even though those countries such as the USA, Russia and China are not member states of the Rome Statute, it will not prevent the International Criminal Court to issue an investigation and enforce penalty toward people who committed a crime on the territory of states that have ratified the Rome Statute».

To remind some facts, on November 16, Russia refused to ratify Rome Statute after recognition by The Hague Court Crimea annexation as war against Ukraine.