International Arrest Warrant Issued For Vladimir Putin, But Will The Russian President Be Taken Away In Cuffs?

Will Vladimir Putin be arrested?

On Friday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

The charges, namely war crimes, are in relation to their alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine.

“It is forbidden by international law for occupied powers to transfer civilians from the territory they live in to other territories. Children endure special protection under the Geneva Convention,” ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmański said.

The warrants come after a year-long process of gathering evidence from a variety of sources.

“This is an important moment in the process of justice before the ICC. The judges have reviewed the information and evidence submitted by the prosecutor and determined that there are credible allegations against these persons,” Hofmański said.

If Putin is indicted, he would become an international fugitive. The same applies for any other Russians that are charged with the war crimes.

Still, it’s unclear if the arrest of Putin will be realistic.

“The ICC is doing its part of work as a code of law,” Hofmański said. “The judges issued the arrest warrants. The execution depends on international cooperation.”

The ICC is an international tribunal with jurisdiction over war crimes. It has long been criticized for going after African leaders and not prosecuting those in Western countries. This latest move could be perceived as a shift.

The ICC said in a statement the warrants represent a “commendable step” towards ending impunity for crimes committed in Ukraine.

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