The Guardian: New UK Labour government pushes for quick creation of special tribunal to hold Russia accountable for crimes against Ukraine

The new Labour government wants to inject renewed energy into the two-year-long international effort to set up a special tribunal for Russia, says the lord chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, according to The Guardian. The tribunal aims to investigate the crime of aggression of Russia’s leadership against Ukraine. For months, discussions have surrounded the question of setting up an appropriate body for the special tribunal. Meanwhile, The Guardian writes that fears emerged in the US that if an organization was empowered to strip the Russian leadership of immunity from prosecution in a foreign court, Western leaders might face the threat of legal action in the future. The UK has played a leading role in a coalition of 40 nations working to establish a mechanism for holding three key Russian leaders—Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov—accountable. Mahmood told the Guardian that urgent action is required not only on the military front but also in the legal arena to address a crisis in Ukraine.

“We want to inject some energy into the process because it has been going on too long. We want to work this through very carefully, but at pace, to unlock what is the best mechanism to deliver the special tribunal," the official said.

Her remarks preceded a meeting of justice ministers from the Council of Europe in Vilnius, where they plan to discuss establishing a Nuremberg-style international tribunal that can gain global legitimacy. They also mark the first time that the Labour government has addressed the issue of prosecuting Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the war. Mahmood acknowledged strong support both in Ukraine and internationally for the Council of Europe to play a leading role in establishing a special tribunal. She emphasized that Ukraine's enthusiasm for creating this system of accountability has not diminished. Alicia Kearns, the shadow Foreign Office minister, stated this week that during David Cameron’s time as Conservative foreign secretary, international consensus had been shifting toward the idea of "a special tribunal, held in a third country, established by a treaty between the Council of Europe and Ukraine, and backed by a broader membership through a vote in the UN General Assembly." She urged for a vote on the matter later this month. Mahmood claimed that the government is focused on developing a mechanism that "delivers, meets the legal challenges, and is effective" while avoiding any delays in the process of the creation of the tribunal mechanism.

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