Update | Downing of flight MH17 ‘may amount to a war crime’: UN
Dutch and Australian forensic investigators on their way to the MH17 crash site turned back on Monday after “explosions” heard in the area
The downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 “may amount to a war crime”, the UN said on Monday, adding that fighting in east Ukraine has claimed over 1,100 lives with both government and rebel forces using heavy weaponry in built-up areas.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay condemned the “horrendous shooting down” of the Malaysian passenger jet in rebel-held territory that killed all 298 people on board, and demanded a “thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigation”.
“This violation of international law, given the prevailing circumstances, may amount to a war crime,” she said in a statement.
“Every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law including war crimes will be brought to justice, no matter who they are,” Pillay said.
The Red Cross officially said last week that Ukraine is now in civil war – a classification that would make parties in the conflict liable to prosecution for war crimes.