PRESS RELEASE : International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752 [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 July 2023.
The International Coordination and Response Group have filed an application with the International Court of Justice instituting proceedings against Iran.
The International Coordination and Response Group for the victims of Flight PS752, made up of the UK, Sweden, Canada and Ukraine, today issued the following joint statement:
We, ministers representing Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, have taken an important step in our collective effort to ensure Iran is held accountable for the unlawful downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 (Flight PS752).
Iran failed to respond to our request for arbitration sent on December 28, 2022. As a result, this week in The Hague we have jointly filed an application with the International Court of Justice instituting proceedings against Iran in relation to their breaches of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 1971.
As we have reiterated on multiple occasions, Iran’s actions and omissions in relation to the downing of Flight PS752 by 2 surface-to-air missiles launched by members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force amount to violations of Iran’s international legal obligations, for which Iran must take full responsibility.
More specifically, as stated in our application, Iran has, among other violations, failed to take all practicable measures to prevent the destruction of Flight PS752 by members of its armed forces. Iran has equally failed to advance a full, transparent and impartial criminal investigation and prosecution in accordance with international standards.
Today’s legal action reflects our unwavering commitment to achieving transparency, justice and accountability for the families of the victims.
