The resolution states that according to international law, the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia is a sign of genocide, and therefore all such cases should be investigated and all those involved held accountable. This was announced by member of the Ukrainian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly, Oleksiy Honcharenko.
Also, the PACE welcomed in the mentioned resolution the decision of the International Criminal Court regarding the arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and authorized representative for children’s rights of the Russian Federation, Maria Lvova-Belova.
“And this is one of the most important decisions of the PACE in this resolution. Not all members of the PACE are countries that have ratified the Rome Statute (the statute under which the arrest of Putin was issued). And the adoption of this resolution expands the circle of countries where Putin is officially considered a suspect in war crimes,” wrote Honcharenko.
In addition, the deputy announced that his amendment to the resolution recognizing self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s involvement in the forced deportation of children and adults from the occupied territories of Ukraine had been adopted. “This automatically makes Lukashenko guilty of the genocide being carried out by Russia in Ukraine,” said Honcharenko.
The government of South Africa stated that they “remember their legal obligations” related to the arrest warrant for Putin, but according to Bloonberg, South Africa has begun to seek ways to avoid arrest if the Russian dictator attends the BRICS summit there in August.