Member-only story
Politics
Are Russian War Crimes Against Ukrainians Just “Grave Breaches” of the War or More than That?
The sentiment at the turn of the century: “No longer will dictators or oppressive governments be able to violate the fundamental rights of their citizens (or others) with impunity. We are moving into a new and different world, though, as with all innovations, there is initial discomfort and suspicion. I have no doubt that, however, the twenty-first century will witness the growth of an international criminal justice system and that victims of war crimes will no longer be ignored.”
Who knew what Richard J Goldstone felt at the time would turn on its head by authoritarians around the world, especially Russia and China?
The matter is not whether the crimes happened; the only real question up for debate is how many. Can there always be evidence to support claims? No. But what’s important is that these questions are asked. The more the power behind the questions, the better the chances of them being taken seriously.
All through its war against Ukraine, Russia has not only attacked innocent people and infrastructure it has also abused international law, treaties, and human rights. When residential buildings and schools get attacked, the bricks of basic international principles fall off, too, together…
