The judge who issued the warrant for Putin’s arrest headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Judge Tomoko Akane, who issued a warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin, became the president of the International Criminal Court. She will head the Ministry of Internal Affairs for three years.

“It is a great honor for me to be elected by my fellow judges to the post of president of the International Criminal Court. In this difficult time for the court, stable, cooperative and unified leadership is needed,” Akane said.

According to her, she plans to focus on the development of the dialogue between the judicial bodies, as well as on strengthening the dialogue with the participating states and states that have not yet ratified the Rome Statute.

Also on Monday, Rosario Aitala from Italy and Raine Alapini-Hansou from Benin were elected as Akane’s deputies.

• In March 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued warrants for the arrest of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in Russia, Maria Lvova-Belova. A few days later, the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against the prosecutor and three judges of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who issued the warrant. Tomoko Akane and Rosario Aytale were among the judges who signed the warrant.
• In May 2023, the SC charged Rosario Aytale in absentia with criminal charges of knowingly illegal detention and preparation for an attack on a representative of a foreign state. At the same time, he was declared a federal wanted man, as was the prosecutor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ahmad Khan.
• In July 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia declared Tomoko Akane, judge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on federal wanted list.