LITHUANIA, February 28 - Earlier today, the Government has approved the initiative of the Ministries of Justice and Foreign Affairs to turn to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court over Russia’s and Belarus’s war crimes and crimes against humanity. The case is directed at the liability of specific individuals - namely the decision-takers from the regimes of Putin and Lukashenko.

According to Lithuanian Justice Minister Evelina Dobrovolska, an immediate action is needed in the face of the brutal aggression from Russia and Belarus against Ukraine. ‘We are therefore responding urgently to the violations of international law and seek legal means to assist Ukraine in launching the case with the International Criminal Court’, said the Minister.

‘Yesterday, I spoke on the phone with Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska to express my support and to inform him about Lithuania’s intent to make use of the right under the Rome Statute to turn to the prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal. I also offered him Lithuanian Justice Ministry’s full support – from lawyers to anything else that might be needed’, said Dobrovolska.

The Ministry of Justice has collected and handed over the material needed to launch the investigation. The application describes the situation in Ukraine, outlines the violations of international law that are known to date, and provides their legal assessment, along with the reasoning. The application meets all the procedural terms and requirements for launching an investigation.

Under the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court, any Member State may lodge a complaint with the Public Prosecutor. The purpose of this procedure is to provide the available information for the prosecutor to verify and, if warranted, to open up the proceedings. At the same time, it helps the prosecutor gather information from different entities and sources.