The world court on Wednesday ordered Russia to immediately suspend its military action in Ukraine.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its order for the urgent case submitted by Ukraine against Russia concerning the allegations of genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The decision was delivered at the Peace Palace in The Hague by the President of the Court, Judge Joan Donoghue.
“The court is acutely aware of the extent of the human tragedy that is taking place in Ukraine and is deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life and human suffering,” Donoghue said.
She added that the court is profoundly concerned about the use of force by the Russian Federation in Ukraine and said it raises serious issues of international law.
The reading concluded with a ruling that Russian forces immediately suspend their military operations which began on Feb. 24, 2022, in Ukraine.
The ruling passed with 13 votes in favour and two votes against.
“The Russian Federation shall ensure that any military or irregular armed units, which may be directed or supported by it, as well as any organizations and persons which may be subject to its control or direction, take no steps in furtherance of the military operations,” Donoghue said.
“Unanimously both parties shall refrain from any action which may aggravate or extend the dispute before the court or make it more difficult to resolve,” she added.
Even though the ruling from the ICJ is binding, it has no direct means to enforce them in countries, and whether Russia will abide by the ruling or not is still in question.
Aurel Braun, a professor of International Relations and Political Science at the University of Toronto, told Humber News that the ruling will not change anything except to make international law even more impotent.
“What it will mean is that you have Russia defying a judgment by the International Court of Justice, showing its contempt for international law and its inability to defy international law,” said Braun who is also an Associate at Davis Centre at Harvard University.
“Russia’s ability to ignore the International Court of Justice, it means that it undermines both the court and international law,” he added.
“This is a big blow just to Ukraine. Of course, that’s the tragic outcome in itself, but it is also a brazen defiance of the whole world of international law and of the Court of Justice.
Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, “is saying laws do not apply to Russia,” Braun said.
Putin has described the invasion as a “special military action” and said that his country “was acting in self-defence.”
“You see more damage to international law and more damage to the United Nations more damage to the International Court of Justice,” Braun said.
“This is a defeat; it shows that every country that is a member of the United Nations should be worried about the fact that Russia will not comply.”