The art of legal warfare: kow to deprive the aggressor state of jurisdictional immunities. Evidence from Ukraine

Anatoliy Kostruba

Résumé


The issue of state responsibility has been relevant for a long time. Very often, states refuse to enforce foreign court judgments relying on their immunities guaranteed to each country by the UN Charter. However, when it comes to violations of jus cogens, a relevant question arises: can a state hide behind its own immunities in the face of a blatant violation of international law and human rights violations? The issue of punishing Russia for crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine and for violations of international law in general is currently relevant. In addition, the war in Ukraine has shown the lack of functioning of many areas of international law. Thus, the mechanism of punishing Russia is important not only for this particular case, but also for preventing similar acts in the future. At the request of 39 member states, the International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into the war in Ukraine. Other courts are also considering Ukraine's complaints following the Russian invasion. In this article, the author describes his own vision of why Russia's immunities are not absolute and why national courts should deny Russia immunities in claims for compensation for damage caused by armed aggression in Ukraine, including the occupation of Crimea and the Donbas. The author also refers to the case law of other countries and Ukraine to understand the approaches of foreign courts to the issue of immunities in the context of armed aggression and to compare their approaches with Ukrainian legal proceedings. Finally, the author also proposes amendments to Ukrainian legislation to more effectively recover the damage caused by Russia. In addition, the author proposes four measures that the international community should take to punish the aggressor and prevent acts of aggression in the past, whether by Russia or any other state. The purpose of the article is to analyze the issue of sovereign immunities of states and current issues related to the deprivation of such immunities. In addition, the author examines the relevance of this issue on the example of the war in Ukraine. The article also aims to highlight the steps that Ukraine and the international community can take to punish Russia for its crimes and violations of international law. The leading scientific method used by the author in the study is the method of analysis and synthesis. The author used this method to analyze the existing practice in international law in order to understand the role of state immunities in international relations. This method was also used to find ways to solve the problem of holding Russia accountable for an act of aggression and violation of jus cogens.

Mots-clés


war between Russia and Ukraine, state sovereignty, state immunity, Russian aggression, responsibility for violation of international law.

Texte intégral :

PDF (English)

Références


A plan for the recovery of Ukraine (2022). Ukraine Recovery Conference. Retrieved from: https://ua.urc2022.com/plan-vidnovlennya-ukrayini

A Special Tribunal for the Leadership of the Russian Federation: Kuleba Names Five Key Parameters (2022). Word and Action. Analytical portal. Retrieved from: https://www.slovoidilo.ua/2022/07/14/novyna/pravo/specztrybunal-kerivnycztva-rf-kuleba-nazvav-pyat-osnovnyx-parametriv

Charter of the United Nations (1945). Retrieved from: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/chapter-1

Chorzów Factory case (Merits) (1928). Retrieved from: https://jusmundi.com/en/document/decision/en-factory-at-chorzow-merits-judgment-thursday-13th-september-1928

Cohen, L. (2023). Russian oligarch ordered to forfeit $5.4 mln to U.S., Ukraine may get funds. Reuters. Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-oligarch-ordered-forfeit-54-mln-us-ukraine-may-get-funds-2023-02-02/

Convention on Special Missions (1969). Retrieved from: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_3_1969.pdf

Crawford, J. (2022). Will Russia’s Leaders be Brought to Justice for Ukraine War Crimes? Retrieved from: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/will-russia-s-leaders-be-brought-to-justice-for-ukraine-war-crimes--/47416668

Datsiuk, О. (2015). International Tribunals as Tools of Humanity. Ukraiinska Pravda. Retrieved from: https://blogs.pravda.com.ua/authors/datsuk/55bb216c36b7e/.

Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (1970). Retrieved from: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/202170

European Convention on the Immunity of States (1972). Retrieved from: https://rm.coe.int/16800730b1

Fiedler, T. (2022). EU proposes setting up specialized court to try Russian war crimes. Politico. Retrieved from: https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-ursula-von-der-leyen-propose-set-up-court-russia-war-crime-ukraine/

Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (1976). Retrieved from: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/internl-judicial-asst/Service-of-Process/Foreign-Sovereign-Immunities-Act.html

Foreign State Immunities (1981). Retrieved from: https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201503/act-87-1981.pdf

Foreign States Immunities Act (1985). Retrieved from: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A03235

Goldston, J. (2022). How to Hold Russia Accountable for War Crimes in Ukraine. Open Society Justice Initiative. Retrieved from: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/how-to-hold-russia-accountable-for-war-crimes-in-ukraine

Hryshko, V. (2022). Compensation for Human Rights Violations and State Immunity: Will Ukrainian Courts Be Able to Judge Russia? Retrieved from: https://dejure.foundation/tpost/vmnoy46hu1-vdshkoduvannya-shkodi-za-porushennya-pra

Joint Case No. 2016/505092 (2021). South Korea, Seoul Central District Court. Retrieved from: http://lbox.kr/detail/%EC%84%9C%EC%9A%B8%EC%A4%91%EC%95%99%EC%A7%80%EB%B0%A9%EB%B2%95%EC%9B%90/2016%EA%B0%80%ED%95%A9505092

Judgment No. 238 (2014). Retrieved from: https://www.cortecostituzionale.it/documenti/download/doc/recent_judgments/S238_2013_en.pdf

Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy: Greece intervening) (2012). International Court of Justice. Retrieved from: https://www.icj-cij.org/en/case/143

Kulchiy, O., & Liakhivnenko, S. (2016). Private International Law: a textbook. Poltava, 264.

Marchenko, О. (2022). An Aggressor with Undermined Immunity: How Courts Direct Russia's Money to Compensate for War Losses. Yevropeiska Pravda. Retrieved from: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/articles/2022/06/8/7140806/

On Private International Law (2005): Law of Ukraine No. 2709-IV. Retrieved from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2709-15#Text

PACE calls for an ad hoc international criminal tribunal to hold to account perpetrators of the crime of aggression against Ukraine (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/pace-calls-for-an-ad-hoc-international-criminal-tribunal-to-investigate-war-crimes-in-ukraine

Prefecture of Voiotia v. Federal Republic of Germany No. 137/1997 (2000).

Princz v. Federal Republic of Germany (1992). Retrieved from: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/813/22/1807808/

Recurso Extraordinário com Agravo 954.858 Rio de Janeiro (2021). Retrieved from: https://portal.stf.jus.br/processos/downloadPeca.asp?id=15347973404&ext=.pdf

Resolution 479, NATO Post-Madrid Summit: Fit for Purpose in the New Strategic Era. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.nato-pa.int/download-file?filename=/sites/default/files/2022-11/RESOLUTION%20479%20-%20%20NATO%20POST%20MADRID%20.pdf

Resolution of the Supreme Court of Ukraine No. 308/9708/19 (2022). Retrieved from: https://supreme.court.gov.ua/supreme/pres-centr/news/1270169/

Resolution of the Supreme Court of Ukraine No. 760/17232/20 (2022). Retrieved from: https://supreme.court.gov.ua/supreme/pres-centr/news/1282788/

Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts. (2001). Retrieved from: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/draft_articles/9_6_2001.pdf

State Immunity Act (1978). Retrieved from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/33

State Immunity Act (1979). Retrieved from: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/SIA1979

State Immunity Act (1985). Retrieved from: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/s-18/FullText.html

State Immunity Ordinance (1981). Retrieved from: https://pakistancode.gov.pk/pdffiles/administratore76fcf01a8103c67d13c638ef9545317.pdf

Stoll P.-T. (2011). State Immunity. Retrieved from: https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1106

Terzieva, V. (2022). State Immunity and Victims’ Rights to Access to Court, Reparation, and the Truth. International Criminal Law Review. Retrieved from: https://brill.com/view/journals/icla/22/4/article-p780_006.xml

Topical Issues of Limiting the Judicial Immunity of the Aggressor State: the Practice of the Supreme Court. The principle of state immunity from the jurisdiction of any foreign state (2022). Retrieved from: https://ips.ligazakon.net/document/VSS00962

Vedkal, V. (2021). State Immunity, Its Types and Concepts of Realization. Legal Scientific Electronic Journal. 9. 296-298.

Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963). Retrieved from: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_2_1963.pdf

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). Retrieved from: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf

Vienna Convention on the Representation of States in their Relations with International Organizations of a Universal Character (1975). Retrieved from: https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/5_1_1975.pdf

Vodiannikov, О. (2022a). Aggressive Immunities and the Immune Aggressor: Between the Legislator and the Judge. Retrieved from: https://lb.ua/blog/oleksandr_vodennikov/527485_agresivni_imuniteti_i_imunniy.html

Vodiannikov, О. (2022b). The Art of Legal Warfare: How to Deprive the Aggressor State of Jurisdictional Immunities. Retrieved from: https://lb.ua/blog/oleksandr_vodennikov/523500_mistetstvo_yuridichnoi_viyni_yak.html




DOI: https://doi.org/10.5102/rdi.v20i2.9062

ISSN 2236-997X (impresso) - ISSN 2237-1036 (on-line)

Desenvolvido por:

Logomarca da Lepidus Tecnologia