The Netherlands has summoned the Russian ambassador to give explanations on Moscow’s statements criticizing the recent judgment on the tragedy of flight MH17, issued by a court in The Hague that sentenced two Russian citizens to each life imprisonment for the death of the 298 people on board as a result of the downing of this plane in 2014.
The Netherlands’ complaint is related to Moscow’s statement that the trial «was not impartial», a «totally reprehensible» assessment, according to Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra, who has accused Russia of turning «the world upside down», the daily ‘Het Parool’ reports.
For Hoekstra, the Kremlin is reacting «incorrectly and indecently» to a decision of the Dutch legal system, which is «really unacceptable» if one takes into account, he emphasized, «that Russia is currently violating all the principles of international law».
Hoekstra said that it is essential to respond to these accusations coming from Russia, partly also to ‘show’ the relatives of the victims that the Netherlands stands for the division of powers.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday regretting that this court in The Hague had «ignored» the principles of impartiality, while criticizing the alleged political motivations behind the whole judicial process.
The court sentenced Russian defendants Girkin and Dubinsky, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, to life imprisonment ‘in absentia’ for the murder of the 298 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in July 2014. They were all found guilty of involvement in the supply, deployment and removal of the ‘Buk’ system used to bring down the plane.
Moreover, the judges have confirmed that the plane was hit by a Russian-made missile that would have been launched from a territory located in Pervomaisk, in an area under Russian control, in eastern Ukraine.
