RCMP being sent to International Criminal Court to be dispatched 'as quickly as possible': Mendicino

Int'l Criminal Court investigates Russian invasion Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino discusses the plan to send RCMP teams to help investigate possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says the additional group of RCMP officers being sent to help the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigate possible war crimes by Russia will be deployed “as quickly as possible.”

Mendicino told CTV News Channel’s Power Play host Evan Solomon the members are part of a highly “specialized” team that will be up to the task of holding Russia accountable for its illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“This will be a team of dedicated experts who understand how to collect evidence which could be marshaled into a future prosecution that could be put before the International Criminal Court…These individuals will be deployed as quickly as possible,” he said on Tuesday.

Mendicino made the announcement about Canada’s contribution to the ICC’s ongoing investigations, following a request from the ICC’s office of the prosecutor, earlier in the day.

“In the face of Putin and the Russian military’s flagrant violation of international law, Canada will continue to work to ensure that they are held accountable for their illegal actions,” a statement reads.

“Canadian investigators will be assigned to teams working to end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community -- including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

The RCMP currently has three investigators deployed to the ICC. The contingent will grow to 10 with Tuesday’s announcement.

Listen to Mendicino’s interview at the top of this article.