The verdict, expected at 3:00 p.m. local time in The Hague, will address accusations against Russia for violating the conventions on countering terrorism financing and the elimination of racial discrimination.
This significant case marks the first instance where Ukraine has brought Russia to an international judicial forum, with the proceedings reaching the stage of a substantive hearing. The verdict will be delivered in a public session at the Peace Palace, the seat of the ICJ in The Hague, by the court's president, Joan Donohue.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Ukraine against Russia on January 16, 2017, at the UN ICJ. The lawsuit accuses Russia of several grave violations, including providing support to illegal armed groups, the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, attacks on civilians in Mariupol, Kramatorsk, and Volnovakha, and an explosion during a peaceful assembly in Kharkiv. Additionally, Russia is charged with discriminatory practices against Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities, including the suppression of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, and various human rights abuses such as disappearances, murders, arbitrary searches, and detentions. Restrictions on the teaching of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages are also part of the charges.
The ICJ, having confirmed its jurisdiction in the case on November 8, 2019, noted that Ukraine had fulfilled all necessary pre-trial procedures, paving the way for a full hearing on the merits of the case. This impending decision is highly anticipated, as it addresses critical issues of international law and justice in the context of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
