Armenia ratifies Rome Statute despite Russia's anger

The National Assembly of Armenia has adopted a draft law on the ratification of the Rome Statute, the basis of the foundation of the International Criminal Court, which previously issued a warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Source: European Pravda with reference to News Armenia 

Details: 60 MPs voted for the decision, and 22 spoke against it. 54 votes were needed to approve the project. 

Before the voting, two opposition factions announced that they would vote against it. 

Moscow previously called Yerevan's intention to ratify the Rome Statute an unfriendly step and stated that this step would have "the most negative consequences for bilateral relations." 

Previously: Kremlin spokesman Dmitrii Peskov said that Armenia's decision on the Rome Statute was "extremely hostile." At the same time, he noted that the Armenian side offered to conclude a bilateral agreement with Russia regarding the Rome Statute. 

Background:

• Armenia signed the Rome Statute in 1998 but has not ratified it until now. In March 2023, the Constitutional Court of Armenia decided that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court corresponds to the country's constitution.
• At the end of September, the parliamentary committee gave a positive opinion on the ratification of the statute, and it was submitted to the plenary session.
• Official Yerevan stressed the need to ratify the Statute and recognise its jurisdiction, stressing that the risk of new military aggression against Armenia by Azerbaijan remains high, and after the ratification of the document, Baku's war crimes will fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
• As for Russia's concerns, the other day, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's representative for international legal issues, clarified that after the ratification of the Rome Statute, the arrest of Russian President Putin upon entering Armenia is out of the question, as the current heads of state are granted immunity.
• States that have ratified the Rome Statute are obliged to arrest Vladimir Putin in the event of his arrival on the territory of the country under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

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