Switzerland to boost support for International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court prosecutor is investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine, after receiving requests from some 40 states including Switzerland. Keystone / Sergey Kozlov

The Swiss government is to send two more experts to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, after it opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, reports Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan opened an investigationExternal link on Ukraine in the wake of the Russian aggression, after receiving referrals from an unusually high number of countries,  including Switzerland. Announcing this probe on March 2, Khan also called for more support and resources from member countries.

The Court currently employs one Swiss specialist in financial crime, according to RTS. Switzerland’s foreign affairs ministry has now decided to fund two more positions for Swiss experts. Candidates had until May 8 to submit applications, with various profiles sought, including military analyst, satellite imagery specialist, investigator and lawyer. Bern will forward the most interesting applications to Khan’s office, according to RTS.

The ICC can try individuals for the most serious international crimes (genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity) committed anywhere in the world. It recently sent some 40 investigators to Ukraine, its biggest ever mission to the field in terms of numbers.

Around a dozen national prosecutors have also opened investigations into possible war crimes, including in Switzerland. Announcing the Swiss Ukraine taskforce on March 22, Attorney General Stefan Blättler said it would collect evidence from refugees arriving in Switzerland to pass on to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.