Does the Destruction of Cultural Heritage in Ukraine Fall Within the Scope of the Rome Statute?
Keywords:
Ukraine, Rome Statute, International Criminal Court, cultural heritage, international armed conflictAbstract
This article explores the issue of cultural heritage destruction in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine starting in 2014, with a particular focus on the events after 24 February 2022, from the viewpoint of international law. After portraying a brief history and current state of cultural heritage protection in the event of an international armed conflict, the analysis of the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on what is called 'crimes against or affecting cultural heritage' by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court follows. The conclusion on partial coverage of the destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine by the Rome Statute and a particular challenge regarding the destruction of the intangible cultural heritage is reached.
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