On 21 July 2022, in The Hague relying on Article 63, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, Latvia submitted to the International Court of Justice its declaration requesting leave to intervene as a third party in the case of “Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation).
This is the first time Latvia has exercised its rights under Article 63 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice to request leave to intervene as a third party in a case before the International Court of Justice (‘the Court’), where the construction of the provisions of an international treaty to which Latvia is a State Party will be examined. By such a declaration, Latvia expresses its readiness to present its interpretation on several provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that are invoked by Ukraine in its application to the Court of 26 February 2022 against the Russian Federation. Latvia is aiming to assist the Court in the administration of justice, and reaffirms its unwavering support to rules-based international order.
The decision on whether to permit Latvia to become a third party in the above case will be made by the Court after obtaining the views of the States parties to the dispute. If the Court allows Latvia to become a third party in the above case, Latvia will have the right to submit further and elaborated observations regarding the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide that are the subject of these proceedings.