UNSC Urged To Establish Criminal Tribunal On MH17 Tragedy

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- Countries undertaking the independent criminal investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 have urged the United Nations Security Council to establish a criminal tribunal to try those responsible for the crime. Wisma Putra (Malaysia's Foreign Ministry) said five countries, namely Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine, felt that an independent criminal tribunal set up by the council, reflecting the highest international standards, would be the best means of ensuring justice for the victims and their loved ones. "The five countries are working to secure the support of the Security Council members for the tribunal to ensure that those responsible are held to account and to deter those who would threaten civil aviation, it said in a statement. It said that the establishment of an international criminal tribunal under Chapter VII of the UN Charter for this purpose would send a clear message that the international community would not tolerate acts that threaten international peace and security by endangering civil aviation. "A tribunal established by the council would ensure broad international support for prosecutions and would maximise the prospects of securing international cooperation, which will be necessary for an effective prosecution. "It would also be an appropriate response to the fact that the incident and the related implications for the safety of civil aviation affect the interests of the international community as a whole," it said. All 298 passengers and crew on board Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur died when the aircraft was shot down over Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year. The statement said that in the immediate aftermath of the MH17 disaster, the Security Council had adopted Resolution 2166 which demanded that those responsible for the incident be held to account and that all states cooperate fully with the efforts to establish accountability. --BERNAMA