As the horrors of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continue to unfold, world leaders are calling for Russian President Vladimir Putin to face prosecution before an international tribunal. Professor David M. Crane of Syracuse University College of Law has the rare distinction of having previously prosecuted a standing president in his role as Chief Prosecutor of the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone. Drawing on these experiences, and working with a team of law student investigators under the auspices of the Global Accountability Network, Crane this week released a white paper containing details of alleged Russian war crimes, and including a sample indictment that could be used as a model to indict Vladimir Putin. In this interview, he speaks with JURIST Features Editor Ingrid Burke Friedman on what the international community can and should do to ensure that justice is served.

The Global Accountability Network’s full report can be found here, and the draft indictment can be found here.