The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected Mongolia’s appeal to overturn a ruling that found the country in breach of its obligations for failing to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Ulaanbaatar in September.
Despite an active arrest warrant issued by the ICC in March 2023, Putin traveled to Mongolia earlier this year.
The arrest warrant accuses the Russian leader of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022—an act that the ICC has classified as a war crime.
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On November 29, the ICC’s pre-trial judges dismissed Mongolia’s request for an appeal, stating that the issue was not open to challenge.
The decision followed a ruling in October that accused Mongolia of not fulfilling its duty as an ICC member state by not arresting Putin, and the matter was subsequently referred to the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the ICC’s oversight body.
Under the Rome Statute, member states are legally bound to arrest individuals with pending ICC warrants.
Mongolia, however, contended that its failure to detain Putin should not be subject to a ruling and asked for two judges to be disqualified from the case.
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The court denied these requests, asserting that the issue was not about the merits of the case but about Mongolia’s compliance with its international obligations.
The ICC issued the arrest warrant against Putin for allegedly orchestrating the forced relocation of thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied territories.
Russia, however, denies the allegations, claiming that the children were relocated for safety.
This development follows Putin’s cancellation of a planned visit to South Africa last year amid pressure for his arrest during the BRICS summit.
Putin’s trip to Mongolia marked his first visit to an ICC member state since the warrant was issued.
