Putin Is A Wanted Man: Here Are The 123 Countries That May Put Him In Jail Under International Arrest Warrant

The world on Friday got smaller for Russian President Vladimir Putin amid his ongoing war in Ukraine, in fact, 123 countries smaller.

What Happened: The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of committing a war crime by unlawfully transferring children from occupied parts of Ukraine to Russia.

The ICC alleges the war crimes were committed in Ukrainian territory from the day Russia invaded its neighboring country, on Feb. 24, 2022. The court additionally states that Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the crimes, for having committed the acts directly, or jointly with others.

The ICC does not have the authority to arrest the Russian president directly. It relies on the cooperation of the states that are party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, to execute its arrest warrants.

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If Putin is present in a country that's party to the Rome Statute, it is obliged to arrest and surrender him to the ICC. However, if Putin is present in a country that is not party to the Rome Statute, the ICC would need to rely on other means to secure his arrest and transfer, such as extradition requests or diplomatic pressure.

What Is The Rome Statute?

The Rome Statute was ratified in 1998 at a diplomatic gathering in Rome, Italy, and it became effective in 2002. The statue aims to hold those responsible for the worst crimes in history accountable.

Russia signed the treaty in 2000, but withdrew its signature in 2016.

Who Is Party To The Rome Statute?

The treaty members include all the countries of South America, all European Union countries, most of Oceania, and roughly half of Africa. Although, the U.S., China, and Ukraine are not party to the statute.

Canada, Argentina, Australia, France, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Venezuela, and others are included.

Theoretically, all countries included are committed to Putin's arrest.

The Kremlin on Friday said the warrant was “unacceptable,” according to CNN, pointing to the fact that Russia, like many other countries, is not party to the statute.

Read next: In Wake Of International Criminal Court's Arrest Warrant, Putin Visits Mariupol In First Known Trip To Ukrainian Territory