UN official's plan to meet ICC-wanted Russian children's commissioner raises questions

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - A senior UN official's plan to meet with Russian children's commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, has drawn criticism from human rights groups.

UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, is currently visiting Moscow, and her plan to meet with Maria Lvova-Belova has raised questions about whether UN officials should engage with individuals wanted by the ICC.

"Ukrainian victims deserve to see Lvova-Belova behind bars in the Hague, not meeting with high-level UN officials," Balkees Jarrah, associate director in the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Friday.

"Senior UN representatives like Gamba should avoid contact with persons subject to ICC warrants. It’s hard to imagine any circumstance that would justify Gamba meeting with a suspected war criminal, when there are clearly other officials she could meet with instead".

UN associate spokeswoman Stephanie Tremblay told reporters that Gamba is in Moscow in line with her mandate.

"She is there to focus on the protection of children," she said.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, who are accused of abducting children from Ukraine in March.