Accountability for Russia’s War Crimes and Aggression against Ukraine

Accouncement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing examining options for accountability for the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, appears to clearly violate article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter that reads “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” The invasion of Ukraine may constitute the crime of aggression, and there is widespread concern that related war crimes have been and are being committed.

The Biden Administration has stated that “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering . . . This is a flagrant violation of international law, and it demands a firm response from the international community.” In a clear reflection of the seriousness of the Russian breach and in response to demands from the Ukrainian government and countries around the world, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council have initiated procedures to hold the Russian state and Vladimir Putin accountable.

This hearing will explore these and other options for accountability.

This hearing will be virtual. Pursuant to H. Res. 965, Members of Congress and witnesses will participate remotely via Cisco WebEx. Members of the public and the media may view the hearing by live webcast on the Commission website. The hearing will also be available for viewing on the House Digital Channel service. For any questions, please contact Giorgina Agostini (for Co-Chair Smith) or Kimberly Stanton (for Co-Chair McGovern).   

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