Order of 17 January 2025

17 JANUARY 2025
ORDER
AERIAL INCIDENT OF 8 JANUARY 2020 (CANADA, SWEDEN, UKRAINE AND UNITED KINGDOM v. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN)
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INCIDENT AÉRIEN DU 8 JANVIER 2020 (CANADA, ROYAUME-UNI, SUÈDE ET UKRAINE C. RÉPUBLIQUE ISLAMIQUE D’IRAN)
17 JANVIER 2025
ORDONNANCE
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2025
2025
17 January
General List
No. 190
17 January 2025
AERIAL INCIDENT OF 8 JANUARY 2020
(CANADA, SWEDEN, UKRAINE AND UNITED KINGDOM v. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN)
ORDER
The Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, Acting President,
Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Articles 13, paragraph 1, and 79bis, paragraphs 1 and 3, of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application filed by Canada, the Kingdom of Sweden (hereinafter “Sweden”), Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (hereinafter the “United Kingdom”) on 4 July 2023 instituting proceedings against the Islamic Republic of Iran (hereinafter “Iran”) concerning alleged violations by the latter of its obligations under the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 23 September 1971 arising out of the shooting down of a Ukrainian civil aircraft on 8 January 2020,
Having regard to the Order of 16 October 2023, whereby the Court fixed 16 October 2024 and 16 October 2025 as the respective time-limits for the filing of the Memorial of Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom and the Counter-Memorial of Iran,
Having regard to the Memorial of Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom filed on 16 October 2024, within the time-limit thus fixed;
Whereas, on 16 January 2025, Iran filed preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the Court and to the admissibility of the Application, and whereas a certified copy of those preliminary objections was immediately transmitted to the Applicants;
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Whereas, accordingly, by virtue of Article 79bis, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, the proceedings on the merits are suspended and a time-limit has to be fixed for the presentation by the Applicants of a written statement of their observations and submissions on the preliminary objections;
Taking account of Practice Direction V, pursuant to which the time-limit for the presentation of such a written statement shall generally not exceed four months from the date of the filing of the preliminary objections,
Fixes 16 May 2025 as the time-limit within which Canada, the Kingdom of Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland may present a written statement of their observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised by the Islamic Republic of Iran; and
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.
Done in English and in French, the English text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace, The Hague, this seventeenth day of January, two thousand and twenty-five, in six copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Governments of Canada, the Kingdom of Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, respectively.
(Signed) Julia SEBUTINDE,
Vice-President.
(Signed) Philippe GAUTIER,
Registrar.
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