CEHRI condemns in the strongest term the use of armed by the Russian Federation and Belarus against the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine. These acts constitute a manifest violation of the jus cogens prohibition of the use of force and the prohibition of aggression, for which international law acknowledges state responsibility and individual criminal responsibility.
We fully support the demands expressed by an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly in its Emergency Special Session, including the immediate termination of the unlawful use of force against Ukraine and the immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all foreign military forces from the territory of Ukraine.
CEHRI is deeply concerned about reports on alleged indiscriminate attacks against individuals, the use of cluster ammunition, the shelling of nuclear plants, and other acts that may amount to war crimes.
CEHRI welcomes the referral of the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by 39 states parties to the Rome Statute, the announcement of the Prosecutor of the ICC to start a formal investigation and the deployment of an advance investigation team onto the territory of Ukraine.
The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on March 4 2022, in which it decided to establish an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of human rights in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
CEHRI stresses the importance of prosecutions of alleged war crimes and the crime of aggression on international and national levels. We recall in this context that Austria provides universal jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, once an alleged perpetrator enters Austrian territory. We will be alerted and prepared for such a situation and ready to dedicate our resources for accountability for crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.