Responding to President Putin's Arrest Letter, Russia's Investigative Committee Opens a Criminal Case Against ICC Judges and Prosecutors

JAKARTA - Russia's Investigative Committee said on Monday it had opened a criminal case against prosecutors and judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case against the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Ahmad Khan, judges of the International Criminal Court Tomoko Akane, Rosario Salvatore Aitala, and Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godinez," the statement read, launching TASS March 21.

According to the Committee, the case against the prosecutor was opened with accusations of criminal prosecution of an innocent person, on charges of illegally committing a serious or very serious crime, as well as planning an attack on a foreign official who received international protection with the aim of worsening international relations (section 2 art. 299, part 1 of article 30, and part 2 of article 360 ​​of the Russian Criminal Code).

Meanwhile, the judges were charged with illegal imprisonment and planning an attack on a foreign official who received international protection with the aim of worsening international relations (part 2 of article 301, part 1 of article 30, and part 2 of article 360 ​​of the Russian Criminal Code).

"These criminal cases knowingly violate the law, because there is no reason to bring them to criminal responsibility," the Investigative Committee emphasized, adding that in accordance with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons of December 14, 1973, heads of state enjoy absolute immunity from the jurisdiction of a foreign country.

Earlier, the Kremlin said on Monday the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin was a sign of the "obvious hostility" that existed towards Russia, as well as towards the Russian President personally.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia reacted "calmly" and continued its work.

As known earlier, the impact of the ICC's move to issue arrest warrants against President Putin, as well as Russia's commissioner of children's rights, for the mass abduction of children from Ukraine remains unclear.

Russia is not a state party to the Rome Statute on which the court is based, meaning the warrant has no force of law in Russia.

However, this move could hinder President Putin's travel to any of the 123 countries that recognize the ICC's jurisdiction.