Cyprus Files Declaration of Intervention at ICJ in Allegations of Genocide Case (Ukraine v. Russian Federation)

Alice Versini-O’Donnell 

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On December 13th, 2022, Cyprus filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice in the proceedings of Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), instituted on February 26th, 2022. Under Article 63, “whenever the construction of a convention to which states other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question”, those states have the right to intervene in the proceedings, and the construction given by the judgement will be binding upon them. 

Cyprus filed the declaration of intervention as party to the Genocide Convention, and in light of the peremptory nature of the prohibition of genocide and its obligations which are applicable to all (erga omnes). It noted in the declaration that “Cyprus relies for its security on the global rules-based order with the United Nations Charter and adherence to international law as its core”, and that “it is an existential matter for [it] that provisions in conventions and treaties not be abused in order to justify the use of force against their parties, but be properly construed by States and ultimately by this Court”. Both Ukraine and the Russian Federation may now offer written observations on the declaration of intervention. 

Sources and further reading: 

International Court of Justice Press Release, ‘Allegations of genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), The Republic of Cyprus files a declaration of intervention in the proceedings under Article 63 of the Statute’ (13 December 2022) 2022/74. 

Statute of the International Court of Justice (adopted 26 June 1945, entered into force 24 October 1945) 15 UNCIO 355.