Armenia formally joins International Criminal Court

Armenia formally joined the International Criminal Court (ICC) on February 1.

The Armenian National Assembly ratified the Rome Statute in October 2023, a move that caused concerns in Moscow.

On March 17, 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, over the war in Ukraine. Countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute would have to enforce the arrest warrant once Putin travels into their territory. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry described Armenia’s accession to the Rome Statute as an ‘unfriendly step’ and sent a note of protest.

However, Armenian government officials have tried to reassure Russia that ratifying the Rome Statute has nothing to do with it and is aimed at holding Azerbaijan accountable for its war crimes against Armenia.