Russia places ICC president on wanted list amid allegations it tortured Ukrainians to death
File photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia on Monday (September 25) said that it has placed International Criminal Court President Piotr Hofmanski, who has been seeking President Vladimir Putin's arrest, on its wanted list.
"Hofmanski Piotr Jozef, Polish. Wanted under an article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," said a notice uploaded in the Russian interior ministry database.
The details of the allegations against Hofmanski were not shared by the ministry.
In March, an arrest warrant for Putin was announced by the Hague-based court on the war crime accusation of deporting Ukrainian children unlawfully.
Another warrant was issued by the ICC against Russia's presidential commissioner for children's rights Maria Lvova-Belova on similar charges.
Earlier, arrest warrants for ICC prosecutor Karim Khan along with several judges.
Russia, which does not have membership in the ICC, insists that the warrant against Putin is "void".
The ICC in September opened a field office in Ukraine so that it could hold Russian forces accountable for the offensive of Moscow in the Western-backed country.
Russia tortured Ukrainian victims to death, says UN inquiry
The head of a UN-mandated investigative body on Monday (September 25) said that the torture methods of Russia in parts of occupied Ukraine have been so brutal that it caused the deaths of a few victims.
Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine Erik Mose, speaking to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, said that his team had "collected further evidence indicating that the use of torture by Russian armed forces in areas under their control has been widespread and systematic".
"In some cases, torture was inflicted with such brutality that it caused the death of the victim," he stated.
WATCH |Russia launches major strike on Ukraine's Odesa port, grain stores
The commission of Mose visited parts of Ukraine, which were held formerly by Russian forces, like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. It discovered that they committed torture mainly in detention centres which were operated by the Russian authorities.
Previously, the commission said that the violations committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, which include the use of torture, may include crimes against humanity.
Russia has denied targeting civilians in Ukraine and committing atrocities on them. Russia was given a chance at the council hearing to respond to the allegations, however, no Russian representative attended it.
(With inputs from agencies)
You cannow write forwionews.comand be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with ushere.
WATCH WION LIVE HERE