The Russian Interior Ministry placed the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Piotr Hofmański, on a wanted list, citing information on the ministry’s online database, reports Politico.
According to Russian state news portal TASS, the database states that he is
“wanted under an article of the Criminal Code”
but does not mention the specific charges for which Hofmański is wanted.
In addition to Hofmann, the Ministry has also included ICC Vice-President Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza and judge Bertram Schmitt in the list of wanted persons.
This Russian action comes in response to the ICC’s March issuance of arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova in connection with the forcible transfer of children to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has said it does not recognise the ICC’s authority and has opened its own criminal case against ICC prosecutors and judges. So far, Russia has placed several ICC officials on its wanted list, including the British prosecutor Karim Khan and judges Tomoko Akane and Rosario Salvatore Aitala.
Read also: UN investigation: Russia tortured Ukrainian victims to death