Justice for Ukraine campaign publishes blueprint of indictment against Vladimir Putin

The Justice for Ukraine campaign has published a blueprint of an indictment against Vladimir Putin for the crime of aggression in Ukraine.

The indictment, drafted by Ryan Goodman, professor of law at New York University, and Rebecca Hamilton, associate professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law, serves as an “exemplar criminal indictment” against the Russian president for the crime of initiating and executing a war of aggression through the invasion of Ukraine.

Supporters, including former prime minister Gordon Brown, believe a tribunal for the crime of aggression may provide a rapid route to justice for the Ukrainian people.

Mr Brown said that following the horrors that have occurred in Bucha, Burzova and Kyiv, and the concern expressed by world leaders including US President Joe Biden, a genocide is being committed and it is more pressing than ever that the instigator of the war is brought to justice.

The campaign’s petition in support of the creation of a tribunal has more than 1.75 million signatures.

Mr Brown said: “Today we publish the text of a criminal indictment against President Vladimir Putin for initiating and executing Russia’s war of aggression.

“Our charge sheet demonstrates the nature and gravity of the case that war crimes prosecutors could file before an international court.

“New atrocities reported this week have made international action against him more urgent and more essential.

“It is time that our message that we will not stand aside but stand together and pursue Putin around the world reaches his inner circle, who must be warned that they are also liable to punishment for crimes in which they have been complicit.

“An early agreement on such an indictment will send a message to the people of Ukraine that the whole world is watching on their behalf and that we will not allow war crimes to go unpunished or unprosecuted and, just as we proved at Nuremberg, we will take the decisions necessary to secure justice.”

Yesterday, President Joe Biden approved 800 million dollars (£610m) in military assistance for Ukraine, including artillery and helicopters, to bolster its defences against a Russian offensive in the country’s east.