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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 26 January 2023

European court rules Ukraine cases against Russia admissible

By MIKE CORDER Council of Europe, which
Associated Press is the continent’s foremost
THE HAGUE, Netherlands human rights institution.
(AP) — Europe’s top human Russia was expelled from
rights court ruled Wednes- the council last year in an
day that it can adjudicate unprecedented move over
on cases brought by the Moscow’s invasion and
Netherlands and Ukraine war in Ukraine. However,
against Russia for alleged the court can still deal with
rights violations in eastern cases against Russia dating
Ukraine in 2014, including from before its expulsion.
the downing of Malaysia The cases in Strasbourg are
Airlines Flight MH17. separate from a criminal
The ruling by the Stras- prosecution in the Neth-
bourg-based European erlands in which two Rus-
Court of Human Rights sians and a Ukrainian rebel
marks significant progress in were convicted in absentia
efforts by the Netherlands in November of multiple
and Ukraine to hold Rus- murders for their roles in
sia legally accountable for the downing of Flight MH17
its actions in Ukraine and over eastern Ukraine on July
could pave the way for 17, 2014. All 298 passengers
compensation orders. The and crew were killed when
court said a judgment on In this July 17, 2014, file photo, people walk amongst the debris at the crash site of a passenger the Boeing 777 flying from
the merits of the cases will plane near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine. Associated Press Amsterdam to Kuala Lum-
follow at a later date. pur was shot down over
The cases were filed before everything in our power to political and economic has jurisdiction “to hold Rus- eastern Ukraine.
Moscow launched its full- achieve justice for all 298 support. sia accountable, to make In its case at the human
scale invasion of Ukraine victims of flight #MH17 and The court said there was legally binding findings of rights court, the Nether-
nearly a year ago. their loved ones,” he tweet- enough evidence to estab- Russian culpability and to lands argues that Moscow
“Very good news: the ed. lish the admissibility of most award reparations for Rus- played a key role in the
judgment of the European The court said evidence of Ukraine’s claims of rights sian war crimes, including downing of Flight MH17
Court of Human Rights is presented at a hearing violations and a linked the murder of Ukrainian ci- and argues that Russia’s
another important step in last year established that case about the downing vilians, the shooting down failure to investigate and
finding the truth and justice from May 11, 2014, areas in of MH17 filed by the Neth- of the passenger Flight lack of cooperation with
for the victims and their eastern Ukraine controlled erlands. It said a small num- MH17, the torture and mur- Dutch prosecutors, along
relatives of flight #MH17,” by separatist rebels were ber of allegations were not der of prisoners of war, the with its denials of involve-
Dutch Justice Minister Dilan “under the jurisdiction of admissible. destruction and unlawful ment, have compounded
Yesilgöz-Zegerius said in a the Russian Federation” Ben Emmerson, a lawyer appropriation of private the suffering of friends and
tweet. and that Moscow “had a who represented Ukraine property, the kidnapping relatives of those killed.
Foreign Minister Wopke significant influence on the at court hearings, said the by Russian forces of three Dutch prosecutors say the
Hoekstra also welcomed separatists’ military strat- decision “shows that Presi- groups of orphaned chil- missile system that downed
the ruling as a significant egy” including providing dent Putin cannot escape dren and their compulsory MH17 was trucked into
milestone in the search for weapons, carrying out ar- the long arm of internation- transfer to Russia.” Ukraine from a military base
accountability. tillery attacks requested by al law.” The Strasbourg court is in Russia and returned there
“We will continue to do the rebels and giving them He said the court ruled it an important part of the after the shootdown.q

Hipkins sworn in as New Zealand PM,

pledges focus on economy

week of Jacinda Ardern. Ardern’s resignation. now.”
Hipkins, 44, has promised a “This is the biggest privilege Hipkins is known to many
back-to-basics approach and responsibility of my by the nickname “Chippy,”
focusing on the economy life,” Hipkins said at the cer- which fits with his upbeat
and what he described emony. demeanor and skills as an
as the “pandemic of infla- “I’m energized and excited amateur handyman.
tion.” by the challenges that lie He served as education
He will have less than nine ahead.” and police minister under
months before contesting Carmel Sepuloni was also Ardern. He rose to pub-
a tough general election, sworn in as deputy prime lic prominence during
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, right, and Deputy with opinion polls indicating minister, the first time a per- the COVID-19 pandemic,
Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni, left, pose with Governor- his Labour Party is trailing its son with Pacific Island heri- when he took on a kind of
General Dame Cindy Kiro after their swearing in at Government conservative opposition. tage has taken on the role. crisis management role. But
House in Wellington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023.
Associated Press New Zealand Governor- She congratulated Hipkins he and other liberals have
General Cindy Kiro offici- and thanked him for the long been in the shadow
By NICK PERRY sworn in Wednesday as ated the brief swearing in trust he’d placed in her. of Ardern, who became a
Associated Press New Zealand’s 41st prime ceremony in front of his After the ceremony, Hip- global icon of the left and
WELLINGTON, New Zealand minister, following the un- friends and colleagues af- kins said as an aside to re- exemplified a new style of
(AP) — Chris Hipkins was expected resignation last ter she earlier accepted porters: “It feels pretty real leadership. q