War in Ukraine: 'If civilians are directly targeted, that is a crime', ICC prosecutor says

"We know very clearly that if civilians are directly targeted, if civilian residences or locations are targeted, that is a crime. And it's no defence to say that they may be military necessity if wide-ranging weapons are used; weapons that are not precise or that have a large footprint in very heavily populated civilian areas," ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan told FRANCE 24.

Khan added that with fighting "moving into urban areas" of Ukraine, he was "particuarly concerned" about "crimes against and affecting children and crimes of sexual, gender-based violence, whether in the houses as there's street fighting, but also in places of detention". 

"These are crimes that we're going to really put resources on also, to make sure that hopefullly there can be a degree of deterrence, a degree of compliance with what every soldier, every belligerant party from any side to the conflict are required to uphold," he told FRANCE 24.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app