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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 1 June 2022
3 nations join international team probing Ukraine war crimes

THE HAGUE, Netherlands team of prosecutors ever
(AP) — Three more nations deployed by the interna-
on Tuesday joined an in- tional court — in the coun-
ternational investigation try gathering evidence.
team probing war crimes Khan now plans to work
in Ukraine, and the Inter- toward opening an office
national Criminal Court in Ukraine "in the next few
prosecutor said he plans weeks."
to open an office in Kyiv, Ukraine's prosecutor gener-
amid ongoing calls for al, Iryna Venediktova, said
those responsible for atroci- that her office has already
ties since Russia's invasion opened some 15,000 crimi-
to be brought to justice. nal investigations related to
Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia the war and identified over
signed an agreement dur- 500 suspects, including
ing a two-day coordination Russian ministers, military
meeting in The Hague to commanders and propa-
join Lithuania, Poland and gandists. She said her of-
Ukraine in the Joint Investi- fice was ready to proceed
gation Team that will help against some 80 of them.
coordinate the sharing Last week, in the first case of
of evidence of atrocities its kind linked to the war, a
through European Union ju- Karim Ahmed Khan, International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, speaks during a news confer- Ukrainian court sentenced
dicial cooperation agency ence at the Ministry of Justice in the Khartoum, Sudan, Aug. 12, 2021. a captured Russian soldier
Eurojust. Associated Press to the maximum penalty of
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan life in prison for killing a civil-
said the teamwork under- act of aggression. Russian 600 people inside and out- be brought to trial. ian. On Tuesday, a court in
scores the international forces have been accused side the building. The team that met Monday Ukraine convicted two Rus-
community's commitment of killing civilians in the Kyiv Since Russia invaded on and Tuesday at Eurojust's sian soldiers of war crimes
to the rule of law. suburb of Bucha and of re- Feb. 24, the AP and PBS se- headquarters in The Hague for the shelling of civilian
"I think it shows that there is peated attacks on civilian ries Frontline have verified was established in late buildings and sentenced
this common front of legal- infrastructure including hos- 273 potential war crimes. March, a few weeks after both to 11 1/2 years in pris-
ity that is absolutely essen- pitals and a theater in the Ukrainian President Volody- the ICC opened an investi- on.
tial, not just for Ukraine ... besieged city of Mariupol myr Zelenskyy has de- gation in Ukraine, after doz- Russia staunchly denies its
but for the continuation of that was being used as a nounced killings of civilians ens of the court's member troops are responsible for
peace and security all over shelter by hundreds of ci- as "genocide" and "war states threw their weight atrocities. The Defense Min-
the world," he said. vilians. An investigation by crimes," while U.S. President behind an inquiry. Khan has istry said earlier this month
Moscow's invasion of The Associated Press found Joe Biden has called Rus- visited Ukraine, including that "not a single civilian has
Ukraine has been widely evidence that the March sian President Vladimir Putin Bucha, and has a team of faced any violent action
condemned as an illegal 16 bombing killed close to "a war criminal" who should investigators — the largest by the Russian military."q

Dissident artists go on trial in Cuba, face years in prison

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ lo, also known by his stage ment. It's a twist on the of-
HAVANA (AP) — Two dissi- name Osorbo, was arrest- ficial slogan, "Fatherland or
dent artists went on trial in ed in May 2021 on charges Death!"
Cuba on Monday, facing of disrespect and resisting Otero Alcántara had be-
years in prison after being authority. came known for works fea-
arrested last year following Officials did not confirm the turing the Cuban flag in
protests, according to oth- trial was taking place, but ways that some considered
er activists. a police guard was post- disrespectful.
Prosecutors are seeking a ed at the court and half a Both men were arrested
10-year sentence for rap- dozen European diplomats before the two days of
per Maykel Castillo and six had gathered in hopes of widespread demonstra-
years for artist Luis Manuel entering. Usually only fam- tions in July 2021 protesting
Otero Alcántara, accord- ily members of the defen- shortages, power outages
ing to art curator Claudia dants are allowed. and the government.
Genlui. While officials did not com- In November 2020, police
Both were involved with a ment this time, in the past broke up a sort of sit-in at Diplomats from several countries wait outside the court build-
ing where a trial is going on for Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero
group known as the San they have said people Otero Alcántara's house in Alcantara and Maykel Castillo in Havana, Cuba, Monday May
Isidro Movement — named were being prosecuted support of another rapper, 30, 2022.
for the neighborhood for breaking the law rather Denis Solís, who had been Associated Press
where Otero Alcántara than for political activism. sentenced for prison for in-
lives — that had attracted Castillo was among the sulting a police officer. Cas- dented protest outside the the focus of protests by oth-
unusually wide support composers of the song "Pa- tillo was among those tak- Culture Ministry. That broke er artists following his arrest
among prominent Cuban tria y Vida" — "Fatherland ing part in the sit-in. up after members of the last year. He was hospital-
artists and musicians in and Life" — which won a Officials said they acted to group said they'd won an ized — reportedly during a
2020. Latin Grammy award this enforce COVID-19 health unusual government vow hunger strike — to demand
Otero Alcántara was ar- year and has became a restrictions, but it prompted of greater tolerance for in- the return of works that au-
rested on charges of public sort of anthem for critics about 200 people to stage dependent art. thorities had confiscated
disorder in July 2021. Castil- of the Communist govern- a larger, almost unprece- Otero Alcántara also was when he was detained.q