Public hearings from Tuesday 6 to Wednesday 14 June 2023

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, Carnegieplein 2, 2517 KJ The Hague, Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 302 2323 Fax: +31 (0)70 364 9928
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2023/24
16 May 2023
Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) The Court to hold public hearings from Tuesday 6 to Wednesday 14 June 2023
THE HAGUE, 16 May 2023. The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will hold public hearings in the case concerning Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) from Tuesday 6 to Wednesday 14 June 2023, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court.
The hearings will be devoted to the merits of the case.
Schedule for the hearings
First round of oral argument
Tuesday 6 June 2023 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Ukraine
3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Ukraine
Thursday 8 June 2023 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Russian Federation
3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Russian Federation
Second round of oral argument
Monday 12 June 2023 3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Ukraine
Wednesday 14 June 2023 3 p.m.-6 p.m.: Russian Federation
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History of the proceedings
On 16 January 2017, Ukraine filed an Application instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation concerning alleged violations of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism of 9 December 1999 (ICSFT) and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 21 December 1965 (CERD).
Ukraine claims that, since 2014, the Russian Federation, in breach of its obligations under the ICSFT, has instigated and sustained an armed insurrection against the authority of the Ukrainian State in eastern Ukraine. Ukraine also contends that, since 2014, the Russian Federation, in breach of its obligations under CERD, has created “a climate of violence and intimidation against non-Russian ethnic groups” in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Ukraine requests the Court to adjudge and declare that the Russian Federation has thus violated its obligations under the ICSFT and CERD, and that it must comply with those obligations and make reparation for the harm caused to Ukraine.
As basis for the jurisdiction of the Court, the Applicant invokes Article 24 of the ICSFT and Article 22 of CERD.
On 19 April 2017, the Court delivered its Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures, filed by Ukraine at the same time as its Application, on 16 January 2017. It found, inter alia, that, with regard to the situation in Crimea, the Russian Federation must, in accordance with its obligations under CERD, (a) refrain from maintaining or imposing limitations on the ability of the Crimean Tatar community to conserve its representative institutions, including the Mejlis; and (b) ensure the availability of education in the Ukrainian language.
On 8 November 2019, the Court delivered its Judgment on the preliminary objections to the jurisdiction of the Court and the admissibility of the Application, raised by the Russian Federation on 12 September 2018. The Court concluded that it had jurisdiction to entertain the claims made by Ukraine on the basis of the ICSFT and CERD, and rejected the Russian Federation’s objection to admissibility in respect of the claims made by Ukraine under CERD.
The written proceedings were concluded in the case on 19 January 2023, with the filing of a Rejoinder by the Russian Federation.
Earlier press releases relating to this case are available on the Court’s website.
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Members of the diplomatic corps, the media and the public will find below practical information regarding the organization of the hearings.
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A. Practical information and admission procedures
Please note that there will be no parking on the Peace Palace grounds.
1. Members of the diplomatic corps
Owing to the limited number of seats available in the Great Hall of Justice, members of the diplomatic corps who wish to attend the hearings are requested to kindly notify the Registry’s Information Department by Friday 2 June 2023 at the latest, by email to [email protected], indicating which session(s) (date and time) they wish to attend.
2. Members of the public
A limited number of seats in the public gallery will be available for members of the public on a first-come first-served basis. There will be no advance registration procedure, and admission requests submitted beforehand will not be considered. Members of the public wishing to attend the hearings are requested to present themselves at the main gate of the Peace Palace 40 minutes before the start of the public session they wish to attend. They will be provided with a badge giving access to the public gallery upon presentation of a valid ID. The security officers at the gate will notify those concerned once all seats available for members of the public have been filled. Admission to the public gallery will close 20 minutes before the start of the sitting.
3. Media representatives
Media representatives who wish to attend the hearings are requested to kindly notify the Registry’s Information Department by Friday 2 June 2023 at the latest, by email to [email protected]. Requests submitted after this deadline will not be considered. The Court’s Press Room can accommodate 30 people only. Accreditation requests will be considered on a first-come first-served basis.
B. Further practical information for the media
1. Entry to the Peace Palace
Only duly accredited individuals with valid identification will be permitted to enter the Peace Palace grounds. Accredited media representatives must bring with them their personal ID and press card. They are asked to arrive at the Peace Palace gates no later than 30 minutes before the start of the hearings. The Press Room will be open one and a half hours before the start of the hearings and will close one hour after they conclude.
2. Access to the courtroom
Photographers and camera crews will only be permitted to enter the courtroom for a few minutes before the opening of the oral arguments of each Party. They will be accompanied by a member of the Information Department. Other media representatives will not have access to the courtroom.
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3. Press Room
The hearings will be transmitted live on a large screen in the two official languages of the Court, English and French, in a press room equipped with shared internet access (Wi-Fi and Ethernet). TV crews can connect to the Court’s PAL (HD and SD) and NTSC (SD) audio-visual system, and radio reporters to the audio system.
4. Multimedia
The hearings will be streamed live and on demand (VOD) in the two official languages of the Court, English and French, on the Court’s website and on UN Web TV. High-resolution video clips and still photos produced by the Registry during the hearings will be available free of charge and free of copyright for editorial, non-commercial use, on the Court’s website and Twitter feed (@CIJ_ICJ) (to download, click on Multimedia).
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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:
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
Mr. Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer: +31 (0)70 302 2394
Email: [email protected]