International Court of Justice makes an intermediate decision in the Ukraine vs. Russia case

International Court of Justice passed an intermediate decision within the case Ukraine vs. Russia, finding that it has a prima facie jurisdiction to consider the case.

The court refused to approve provisional measures against Russia with regard to Terrorist Financing Convention. Consideration of the case will continue as the decision is only for non-compliance for the introduction of provisional measures against Russia. “Ukraine has not followed the standards of evidence to prove the deliberate transfer of funds (for subjects L /DPR),” said Court Chairman Ronny Abraham at a public hearing in The Hague.

International Court of Justice agreed to the implementation of preventive measures within the suit Ukraine vs. Russia in the part regarding protection of national minorities in Crimea. The Court is considering violations under the Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

At the moment, the court concluded that the Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians of Crimea remain vulnerable to racial discrimination. The court ordered Russia to abstain from restricting the Crimean Tatars in representing their interests, including the resumption of the Mejlis, and to resume providing education in Ukrainian in the peninsula.

The court also imposed the obligation on both parties to avoid violations of Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Sources: Europeiska Pravda (1,2,3)
ICJ press-release

Further reading:

International Court of Justice releases details of Ukraine’s lawsuit against Russia

Ukraine Takes Russia to the International Court of Justice: Will It Work?

Introductory statement by Olena Zerkal, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the agent of Ukraine at the hearing in the International Court of Justice