Russia not elected to ICJ for the first time
In a historic turn of events, UN member
states have for the first time denied Russia the right to adjudicate in their
name at the International
Court of Justice (ICJ), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on
Nov. 9.
The UN has thus "started to rid itself of the destructive influence of Russia," which undermines international law rather than protects it, Zelenskyy emphasized.
Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, called the event historical. According to him, Russia garnered only 5 to 6 votes throughout the five rounds of voting in the UN Security Council. Following the vote in the General Assembly, Russia placed next to last on the list.
Zelenskyy also congratulated representatives from Australia, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, and the United States on their victory in the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly votes.
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges, who are separately elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council for nine-year terms. The court is located in The Hague, Netherlands.
The term of the Russian representative at the court, Kirill Gevorgyan, will expire in 2024.
The ICJ is currently hearing several cases involving Ukraine and Russia. In particular, public hearings began in September for Ukraine's lawsuit on genocide, with representatives from 32 UN member states joining the case.
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