Fixing of the time-limit for the filing by the Applicants of a written statement of their observations and submissions

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2025/4
22 January 2025
Aerial Incident of 8 January 2020 (Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom v. Islamic Republic of Iran) Preliminary objections raised by Iran Fixing of the time-limit for the filing by the Applicants of a written statement of their observations and submissions
THE HAGUE, 22 January 2025. On 16 January 2025, Iran raised preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the Court and to the admissibility of the Application filed by the Applicants in the case concerning the Aerial Incident of 8 January 2020 (Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom v. Islamic Republic of Iran).
By an Order dated 17 January 2025, HE Judge Julia Sebutinde, Vice-President of the Court and Acting President, fixed 16 May 2025 as the time-limit for the presentation by Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of a written statement of their observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised.
In accordance with Article 79bis, paragraph 3, of the Rules of Court, the proceedings on the merits have been suspended.
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History of the proceedings
On 4 July 2023, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom filed a joint Application instituting proceedings against 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 (the “Montreal Convention”), arising out of the shooting down on 8 January 2020 of a Ukrainian civil aircraft, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, by military personnel of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. All 176 passengers and crew aboard the flight, many of whom were nationals and residents of the applicant States, were killed in the crash.
Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom seek to found the Court’s jurisdiction on Article 36, paragraph 1, of the Statute of the Court and on Article 14, paragraph 1, of the Montreal Convention, to which all four Applicants and Iran are parties.
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By an Order of 16 October 2023, 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. The Memorial was filed within the time-limit thus fixed.
An earlier press release relating to this case is available on the Court’s website.
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Note: The Court’s press releases are prepared by its Registry for information purposes only and do not constitute official documents.
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.
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Information Department:
Ms Monique Legerman, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department: +31 (0)70 302 2336
Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2337
Ms Anna Bonini, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2419
Email: [email protected]