Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has asked the Netherlands to detain and extradite International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane, as well as eight other representatives of the institution. UNN reports this, citing Reuters, Bloomberg and the Japanese news agency Jiji Press.
Japan has already criticized Moscow’s actions, calling them unacceptable, and said that further diplomatic measures may be taken.
Details
On Friday, October 9, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said during a press conference that Tokyo regretted Russia’s demand for the extradition of International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, who is a Japanese citizen. According to the official, the Japanese authorities have repeatedly contacted the Russian side, emphasizing that the prosecution of ICC representatives is unfounded and unacceptable.
The fact that the Russian side has approached several countries with extradition requests is regrettable
He emphasized that Japan consistently supports the work of the International Criminal Court as a permanent international judicial institution tasked with ensuring accountability for the gravest crimes and upholding the rule of law. In this regard, the Japanese government intends to continue consultations with the ICC leadership and other states parties to the Rome Statute. Tokyo also does not rule out making new diplomatic representations to Moscow over the prosecution of court officials.
Whom Russia is demanding be extradited
On October 8, Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office said it had sent requests to the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Netherlands, as well as to the competent authorities of a number of other countries, for the detention and extradition of nine representatives of the International Criminal Court. They include current ICC President Tomoko Akane, former Prosecutor Karim Khan and former President of the Court Piotr Hofmański.
The list also includes ICC First Vice-President Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Second Vice-President René Alapini-Gansou, judges Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez and Haikel Ben Mahfoud, as well as former judge Bertram Schmitt.
By the way, the Russian prosecutor’s office’s statement incorrectly lists some of the ICC representatives’ positions. In particular, Hofmański was described as the current president of the Court, although Tomoko Akane has held that position since March 2024.
The Russian agency currently claims that the officials in question were allegedly involved in the unlawful criminal prosecution of Russian citizens and in decisions to arrest them without sufficient legal grounds.
In December 2025, the Moscow City Court found nine ICC representatives guilty in absentia under several articles of Russian criminal law. They were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, ranging from three years and six months to 15 years. The charges included unlawful prosecution, unlawful detention and encroachment on persons enjoying international protection.
At the same time, there is currently no information that the Netherlands has agreed to grant Russia’s request.
Why Russia is prosecuting ICC representatives
The confrontation between Moscow and the International Criminal Court intensified after the ICC issued arrest warrants on March 17, 2023, for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights. The warrants were based on suspicions of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. The Court said it had sufficient evidence for Putin and Lvova-Belova to bear individual criminal responsibility for these actions.
After that, the Russian authorities began criminally prosecuting ICC representatives and later placed a number of judges and prosecutors on a wanted list.
In June 2024, the International Criminal Court also issued arrest warrants for Russia's former defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov. They are suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Moreover, Russia does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction, citing the fact that it is not a party to the Rome Statute. At the same time, the international court has the authority to consider crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine.
Can the Netherlands extradite the ICC president?
The International Criminal Court is located in The Hague, and the Netherlands is a state party to the Rome Statute. Under Article 48 of this document, ICC judges and prosecutors enjoy international privileges and immunities while performing their official duties. Such guarantees are provided to ensure the institution's independent operation.
Context
Tomoko Akane has headed the International Criminal Court since March 2024. She was elected president of the institution for a three-year term.
In August 2026, the United States also imposed sanctions on Akane. The US administration explained the restrictions by citing its disagreement with the ICC's activities concerning nationals of states that do not recognize its jurisdiction. The International Criminal Court criticized the sanctions, saying that they undermine the independence of international justice. Japan, for its part, expressed regret over the US restrictions and reaffirmed its support for the court.
Let us remind you
In August 2026, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Tokyo would continue to support the International Criminal Court amid pressure from the United States.