Ireland Tuesday filed a declaration of intervention in the Registry of the Court in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of Ukraine v. Russian Federation. Human rights experts across the world have accused Russia of genocide during its invasion of Ukraine.

Under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court, states may intervene in the proceedings if the outcome will bind them. Furthermore, Article 62 of the ICJ Statute stipulates that a state may request to intervene in a contentious case if the state “consider[s] that it has an interest of a legal nature which may be affected by the decision in the case.” 

Ireland in the press release stated:

[G]iven the essential function of the prohibition of genocide in ensuring the interests of humanity and the erga omnes nature of the rights and obligations of States under the Convention, as a Contracting Party Ireland has a direct interest in the construction that might be placed by the Court on the relevant provisions of the Convention and wishes to see the consistent interpretation, application and fulfillment of the Convention among all Contracting Parties.

The United Nations Charter in June 1945 established the ICJ and began its activities in April 1946. Fifteen judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations compose the court. Last week, Poland, Denmark, and Italy also filed interventions in the ICJ.