Lithuanian Parliament Declares Russia A Terrorist State, War In Ukraine A Genocide And Says Putin Must Stand Trial – OpEd

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As so often in the past, Lithuania has openly declared what many believe but are unwilling for one reason or another to say. The Lithuanian parliament in a unanimous vote declared Russia to be a terrorist state and its war in Ukraine an act of genocide against the population there, actions for which Russian leaders, including Putin, must stand trial.

The Sejmas said that those responsible must be brought to justice and that, to ensure this happens in a timely and effective manner, the international community must  create a special international criminal court to investigate and try them (delfi.lt/ru/news/politics/sejm-litvy-priznal-rossiyu-terroristicheskim-gosudarstvom.d?id=90178683).

Specifically, the parliament said, that tribunal “must have the authority to issue international arrest warrants” and that the traditional immunity from prosecution that chiefs of state and heads of government have enjoyed must not be extended in this case, thus signaling the Lithuanians’ belief that Vladimir Putin must be arrested and tried.

And it specifically declared that “the Russian Federation and its armed forces have consciously and systematically selected civilian objects for bombing” and that as such the Russian government is one that “supports and carries out terrorism,” crimes of war and crimes against humanity that must be punished.

Not surprisingly, Moscow reacted quickly and in a most hostile manner, with the Russian foreign minister spokesperson declaring that what Lithuania had done was “extremist” (kasparov.ru/material.php?id=627B5D266E29F). The Russian government is clearly worried that now that Lithuania has broken the ice, other countries will follow its compelling logic.

Paul Goble

Paul Goble is a longtime specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia. Most recently, he was director of research and publications at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Earlier, he served as vice dean for the social sciences and humanities at Audentes University in Tallinn and a senior research associate at the EuroCollege of the University of Tartu in Estonia. He has served in various capacities in the U.S. State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency and the International Broadcasting Bureau as well as at the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Goble maintains the Window on Eurasia blog and can be contacted directly at [email protected] .

One thought on “Lithuanian Parliament Declares Russia A Terrorist State, War In Ukraine A Genocide And Says Putin Must Stand Trial – OpEd

  • May 26, 2022 at 12:23 pm
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    It is obvious that Russia has no valid reason to kill innocent people in the Ukraine. That is MURDER TOTAL GENOCIDE Russia with all its leader’s including church leaders who did not condemned Russias killing of innocent people is WAR CRIMINALS and all should be put on trial immediately. What they are doing is MURDER how can civilized people be guilty of such acts. HANG THEM HIGH TILL DEATH

    Reply

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