Putin Pulling Out of a Geneva Convention Lest It Be Used Against Russia

Paul Goble

           

            Staunton, October 20 – Four days ago, Vladimir Putin sent draft legislation to the Duma calling on the Russian legislature to approve on an expedited basis Russia’s withdrawal of its signature on the first supplementary protocol of the 1949 Geneva Convention because of the risk that its provisions will be politicized by other powers and used against Russia.

            This move initially sparked anger and even panic, Aleksandr Cherkasov of Ekho Kavkaza says, but most observers calmed down after it was pointed out that the international judicial body established by the supplementary protocol isn’t currently functioning and therefore Putin’s action was more symbolic than real (ekhokavkaza.com/a/30226409.html).

            But at the same time, the commentator notes, the Kremlin leader’s latest move is consistent with his efforts to pull Russia out of international legal arrangements either by creating alternative ones like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or simply withdrawing or threatening to withdraw from others unless Russia is excused from being judged by others. 

            A similar argument was made by Russian commentator Konstantin Eggert, who said that Putin was simply “asking the Duma t help him nt bserve international law” (nashdom.us/home/public/publikatsii/kommentarij-gosduma-pomozhet-putinu-ne-sobljudat-mezhdunarodnoe-pravo).

            Other commentators were less restrained and suggested that this move along with others like it represents “an acceleration” of  what they call “the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from international law,” (sprotyv.info/analitica/vyhod-rf-iz-mezhdunarodnogo-prava-tempy-uskorilis).

            What is most disturbing about this is that other countries are not denouncing hat Putin is ding but rather acting in the same way, moves that further degrade the role of international law and make the world far more dangerous.