Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) - The Republic of Cyprus files a declaration of intervention in t

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2022/74
13 December 2022
Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) The Republic of Cyprus files a declaration of intervention in the proceedings under Article 63 of the Statute
THE HAGUE, 13 December 2022. Today, the Republic of Cyprus, invoking Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, filed in the Registry of the Court a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation).
Pursuant to Article 63 of the Statute, whenever the construction of a convention to which States other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, each of these States has the right to intervene in the proceedings. In this case, the construction given by the judgment of the Court will be equally binding upon them.
To avail itself of the right of intervention conferred by Article 63 of the Statute, Cyprus relies on its status as a party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Cyprus states in its declaration that “[t]he case before the Court raises questions of crucial importance for the construction of obligations under the Genocide Convention, obligations which the Court has established are obligations erga omnes partes to the Convention”, adding that, “[a]s such, all States parties to the Convention have an interest in the proper construction of the relevant provisions of the Convention”.
It also emphasized that, as a small State, “Cyprus relies for its security on the global rules-based order with the United Nations Charter and adherence to international law as its core”. It further states that “it is an existential matter for [it] that provisions in conventions and treaties not be abused in order to justify the use of force against their parties, but be properly construed by States and ultimately by this Court, setting out the parameters of such provisions in accordance with international law”.
In accordance with Article 83 of the Rules of Court, Ukraine and the Russian Federation have been invited to furnish written observations on Cyprus’s declaration of intervention.
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Cyprus’s declaration of intervention will be available on the Court’s website shortly.
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History of the proceedings
The history of the proceedings can be found in press releases Nos. 2022/4, 2022/6, 2022/7, 2022/11, 2022/25, 2022/26, 2022/27, 2022/28, 2022/29, 2022/31, 2022/33, 2022/34, 2022/35, 2022/36, 2022/37, 2022/38, 2022/39, 2022/41, 2022/42, 2022/43, 2022/45, 2022/46, 2022/48, 2022/50, 2022/51, 2022/52, 2022/54, 2022/60, 2022/64, 2022/66, 2022/67, 2022/69, 2022/70, 2022/71 and 2022/72, 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, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, 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:
Mr. Andrey Poskakukhin, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department (+31 (0)70 302 2336)
Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2337)
Mr. Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2394)
Ms Genoveva Madurga, Administrative Assistant (+31 (0)70 302 2396)