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2 months ago
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'LICKSPITTLE' judges who assist Vladimir Putin in repressing Russian dissent could face the International Criminal Court alongside him, a former UN War Crimes judge has said.
It comes as Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was jailed for 16 years by a Russian court after being convicted of espionage on Friday. His employer and the U.S. have rejected the charges as fabricated.
Geoffrey Robertson KC, who is also a leading human rights barrister, revealed lawyers are investigating whether action could be taken under international law against members of Russia's judiciary.
He also raised the example of a judge who remanded the country's late opposition leader Alexei Navalny into custody in 2021 for breaching probation for an earlier trumped-up charge – because he was recovering from being poisoned with Novichok.
Geoffrey Robertson KC said lawyers are asking if action can be taken against Russia's judiciary
Vladimir Putin has used the courts in Russia to silence opposition to his regime for decades
Evan Gershkovich was jailed for 16 years by a Russian court after being convicted of espionage
Mr Navalny, 47, died in a Russian prison in February.
Mr Robertson said: 'We're working to do something on the judges in Russia who are basically lickspittles (for Putin).
'Remember Navalny, who had just come back to Russia from Germany after recovering from being poisoned?
'The judge found he had broken his conditions by not meeting his probation officer and that was why he was put in jail.
'Can you imagine that because you have not been able to meet your probation officer because you were recovering from being poisoned by the FSB (Russian security services), you are put in jail? He never came back out.
'That's just one example of the lickspittles who are in charge of justice in Russia.'
Alexei Navalny 47, a prominent political critic of Putin died in a Russian prison in February
Mr Robertson - who served as president of a UN War Crimes Court set up in Africa from 2002-2007, which indicted Charles Taylor, president of Liberia, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Sierra Leone civil war - was speaking during a talk about his book, The Trial of Vladimir Putin, at the Buxton International Festival, Derbyshire.
In the book, the barrister argues international law which led to the Nuremburg trials of senior Nazis must be used to bring the Russian president to justice for his illegal war against Ukraine.
An arrest warrant for Putin was issued by the International Criminal Court after he was investigated for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Mr Robertson, founder of London human rights law firm Doughty Street Chambers, said there remains hope the Russian tyrant could eventually be brought to justice if the 71-year-old is ousted and a new regime takes control.
He said: 'It may be that Putin is surrendered in time by a government that wants to get rid of western sanctions.
'It may be that he comes hobbling into the dock like some old Nazi. But there is a chance that hope might prove to be in vain.'
Mr Robertson said Putin had 'breached a red line in the civilised world by invading a peaceful country, slaughtering its soldiers and civilians and kidnapping children'.
He also said United Nations 'doesn't work' in terms of its ability to tackle crises such as the Ukraine War and the war in Gaza.
He said the UN General Assembly is 'basically a talking shop', while motions before the UN Security Council are vetoed 'by America, as Israel's closest ally', on Gaza, and 'by Russia on Ukraine'.
A Russian judge announces the verdict to US journalist Gershkovich, accused of espionage
Mr Robertson said that while 'the UN was designed to prevent the scourge of war', the way it was designed means 'it can't work, it doesn't work'. He added that the UN also' has no reference to democracy' in its constitution.
He added: 'The veto should be limited to situations where the vetoing country has no involvement in the matter.'
Mr Robertson told how three top members of the Labour government have been part of his law firm – the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Attorney General, Richard Hermer KC.
'We're the equivalent for a Labour government of an Eton,' he joked.
'It's interesting that if you wanted a career as a Labour MP in the past, you always had to suck up to a trade union.
'In the future, maybe you have to join a human rights chambers.'
Recalling when a young Starmer came for an interview with Doughty Street Chambers in 1990, three years after being called to the bar, Mr Robertson said he wore a cardigan, 'looked about 14', and was 'very nervous'.
But the lawyer-turned politician's success showed 'you should never take anyone just on their face-to-face interview', he added.
English (US)