International Pressure Mounts on Mongolia Ahead of Putin’s Visit

As reports confirm that Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Mongolia on 3 September 2024, significant international pressure is mounting on the Mongolian government. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), are calling for the arrest of President Putin based on an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in March 2023.

Amnesty International Mongolia’s Executive Director, Altantuya Batdorj, stated that if President Putin travels to Mongolia, the country must fulfill its obligations as an ICC member state. She emphasized that failing to arrest him would not only undermine international justice but also lend support to a leader accused of serious war crimes.

Vladimir Putin is alleged to be responsible for the unlawful deportation of children from occupied territories in Ukraine, which constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute. This visit would mark Putin’s first trip to an ICC member state since the arrest warrant was issued.

The FIDH also reiterated that Mongolia’s ratification of the Rome Statute necessitates cooperation with the ICC, including executing arrest warrants. The letter addressed to Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa called attention to the legal and diplomatic repercussions Mongolia could face should it fail to act on the warrant.

Concerns have been raised regarding claims that President Putin has received assurances he will not be arrested during his visit, which would signify a critical breach of international law. Activists stress that sheltering a fugitive would effectively make Mongolia complicit in international crimes.