Topic Synopsis

Topic Synopsis Prosecution v. Vladimir Putin

Hello future justices! I am Benjamin Don and I will be your vice chair for the International Criminal Court (ICC). I am a sophomore at Mission Viejo High School and my second year in the MVHS MUN program. I am on the school’s lacrosse team and I play the midfield position. In our committee, we will be discussing and deciding whether our tried criminals are innocent or guilty. The International Criminal Court (ICC), governed by the Rome Statute, is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. The ICC is an independent international organization, and is not part of the United Nations system. Its seat is at The Hague in the Netherlands. Although the Court’s expenses are funded primarily by States Parties, it also receives voluntary contributions from governments, international organizations, individuals, corporations and other entities.

For this committee, you will be writing Preliminary Opinions. Please make sure that your conclusion on this topic is not biased and is only based on your own research on the topic. Each preliminary opinion should include a background of the case, the defendant’s position, the plaintiff’s position, your preliminary ruling, and any other questions that you might possibly have for the witness. In addition, please make sure that your preliminary ruling takes into consideration international law and treaties that pertain to this case. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: [email protected] .

I. Background of Topic: Note: This is not a real case of the ICC, so your opinions of this case will be specifically based off of your research and the witnesses that we present to you. YOU have the power to determine how this case proceeds. Enjoy!

Vladimir Putin has served in Russia’s government as the Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000 and as the President from 2000-2008. After his second term ended in 2008, Putin went on to become Russia’s Prime Minister for another four years until 2012 when he entered his third term as Russia’s President. During his many years in office, Putin has been accused of a wide variety of crimes. These crimes range from things including corruption, controlling the media, etc. As an ex KGB Lieutenant colonel, Putin is known for being particularly ruthless and controlling. There have been widespread allegations of government endorsed crime and corruption under Putin’s presidency. Putin has also been accused of committing widespread atrocities during wars with Chechnya. These include firing on civilians, rape, torture, genocide, and other serious war crimes. Many consider him to be a murderer. In the most recent 2012 election, although security measures were set in place to ensure no possibility of fraud, many Russian citizens and people all over the globe believe that Putin rigged the vote. Although nothing has been completely confirmed, there has been much speculation that the Russian government, under Putin’s jurisdiction, has funded criminal activity to “do what the government simply can’t.” Many believe that Putin is pushing Russia from its newfound democracy to a more authoritarian rule. The focus of this case is that Putin has been accused of committing war crimes due to Russian soldier’s conduct during the conflict between Russian and Chechnya. Many accounts have been given of Russian soldiers committing genocide, looting villages, torturing citizens, raping women, etc. The Chechen people consider Putin a war criminal, and would like him to be treated as such.

II. Plaintiff: The Prosecution charges Vladimir Putin war crimes. It is the Plaintiff’s job to convince the justices that Vladimir Putin is guilty of War Crimes under article 8(2)(i) Willful killing, 8(2)(ii) Torture or inhuman treatment, 8(2)(iv) Extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity, 8(2)(vii) Unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement, and 8(2)(viii) Taking of hostages. As the leader of the Russian government, and military, the citizens of Chechnya hold Vladimir Putin responsible for these crimes during the second Chechen War and onward throughout the conflict.

III. Defendant: The Defense will try to convince the Justices that Vladimir Putin is not the megalomaniacal being that the Prosecution would portray him as. Instead, Putin is an iron-fisted leader who pulled Russia from communism and into a democratic rule. Russia’s conflict in Chechnya had been brewing for years, ever since Chechnya’s independence from Russia in 1996. As Chechen rebels clashed with pro-Russian citizens, and small disputes became common, Putin sought an end to the chaos. By invading Chechnya and installing the Russian government, Putin wanted to quell the hostility and eventually bring a more peaceful era.

IV. Witnesses NOTE – Not all of these witnesses are real. To keep committee interesting, witnesses who are relevant to the case but not existent in real life have been chosen. Prosecution’s Witnesses: 1. Stephen Oblonsky – family died in the September 1999 Pechatniki neighborhood bombing 2. Alexander Politkovskaya – Husband of Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist that was assassinated 3. Anatoly Sobchack – Mayor with Putin as advisor who oversaw work 4. Nikolai Ivanovich – Member of the Central Election Commission Defense’s Witnesses: 1. Boris Yeltsin – former president of Russian Federation, 1991-999 2. Lyudmila Putina – Putin’s ex-wife 3. Rudolph Krushev – Military leader and Putin’s right hand man 4. Vladimir Putin

V. Guiding Questions:

1. What can be proven with regards to corruption in the Russian government? (Is there evidence of corruption under Putin?)

2. Are the allegations of atrocities committed in Chechnya true? If so, is Vladimir Putin responsible, or the soldiers themselves?

3. Can any evidence be show that indicates the Chechen’s claim as the truth? 4. If convicted, what should Putin’s punishment be?

VI. Works Cited: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/mar/05/russia.chechnya http://www.crimesofwar.org/a-z-guide/chechnya/ http://press.princeton.edu/titles/9014.html http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/statute/99_corr/2.htm