Putin yanks Russia from International Criminal Court

Russian President Vladimir Putin withdrew his nation from the International Criminal Court on Wednesday, a day after a United Nations committee condemned Russia for human rights abuses in Crimea.

The court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, conducts trials on charges such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States is not among the court's 120-plus members.

Russia signed the Rome Treaty document establishing the court in 2000 but did not ratify it. Russia says it  cooperated with the court and worked as an observer despite not technically falling under its jurisdiction.

Putin signed a directive Wednesday essentially notifying U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon that Russia will not become a member of the court. Putin's Foreign Ministry issued a statement noting that the ICC began with the lofty goals of maintaining international peace and security, settling conflicts and preventing tensions.

"Unfortunately, the court failed to meet the expectations to become a truly independent, authoritative international tribunal," the statement said, calling the court "ineffective and one-sided."

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Raising Russia's ire are U.N. resolutions regarding Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014 after a political uprising pushed a pro-Russia government out of power in Ukraine. Ukraine's government and most of the international community view the annexation as illegal.

Tuesday, the U.N. General Assembly committee on human rights approved a report calling out Russia for “reported serious violations and abuses committed against residents of Crimea” and alleged violations of “fundamental freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, religion or belief and association and the right to peaceful assembly.”

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called the vote "a real victory for justice." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power called Russian rights abuses in Crimea "truly shameless."

Anatoly Viktorov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's human rights department, rejected the resolution as politically motivated. Viktorov accuses Ukraine of repeatedly trying to disrupt Crimea by attempting to organize water, energy and food blockades.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia’s decision not to ratify the Rome Statute is unrelated to the controversy over Crimea.

The ICC has been hit by other defections in recent weeks. The West African nation of the Gambia announced it would drop out last month, saying the court existed to “persecute and humiliate” people from the continent. South Africa and Burundi also have dropped out, the latter after the court said it would investigate political violence there.

The United States, China and India are among major nations that are not members. The United States signed the Rome Treaty but formally withdrew its intent to ratify in 2002. The Bush administration was firmly opposed to participation, concerned that U.S. military and political leaders could face unfair treatment.

The position softened in the administration's final years, and the Obama administration cooperated with the court on some issues.