The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) has expressed "deep concern" over Russia's issuance of arrest warrants for several court officials, including one of its judges.
The Russian Interior Ministry said on July 27 that ICC Judge Tomoko Akane was placed on the government's wanted list.
Akane was one of the judges in March to issue arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children's commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, for being responsible for the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia -- a war crime under international legislation.
"The Presidency of the Assembly (of States Parties to the ICC) regrets this new attempt to undermine the international mandate of the International Criminal Court and reiterates that it stands firmly by the court, its elected officials, and its personnel. We once again underscore our full confidence in the ICC as an independent and impartial court of law," the court said in a statement on August 1.
With the warrant, Putin became the third serving head of state to be targeted in an arrest warrant from the ICC, the world's permanent war crimes tribunal, along with Sudan's Omar al-Bashir and Libya's Muammar Qaddafi.
Russia had already retaliated by opening criminal cases against ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan and the judges who ordered Putin's arrest, including Akane and Italy's Rosario Salvatore Aitala. Moscow had also already placed Khan and Aitala on its wanted list over the past two months.
Akane's arrest warrant reportedly states that she violated Russia's Criminal Code, though the specific charge is not given.
"The International Criminal Court represents the commitment of its States Parties to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. We urge all States to respect its judicial independence and stand united against impunity," the ICC statement added.
The ICC is comprised of 123 member states, but not Russia, China, or the United States.