Nine countries, including Greece, have rejected claims by the Russian Federation that the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals ceased operating on July 1. The Permanent Representatives of Bahrain, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Panama, the United Kingdom, and the United States sent a joint letter on July 28 to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Security Council stating that the judicial body remains operational.
The joint letter responded to communications sent by Russia on July 2 and July 21 asserting that the Mechanism had expired. The nine nations stated that the analysis and conclusions in the Russian letters were incorrect, citing paragraph 17 of Security Council Resolution 1966 (2010), which provides that the body continues to operate for two-year periods following each review unless the Council decides otherwise.
Legal mandate and court operations
According to the letter, the Security Council spent months discussing the Mechanism's work and completed a review based on necessary material and standard practice. The nine countries noted that the lack of a consensus outcome does not erase the fact that the review occurred, and while the Council's failure to adopt a resolution was regrettable, a new resolution is not required for the body to continue operating.
The letter stated that the Security Council took no positive decision to close the court, meaning it continues to function under its statute and relevant resolutions. This stance matches the position of the UN Secretariat, which Secretary General Antonio Guterres clarified in a July 1, 2026 letter notifying the Council of the reappointment of the Mechanism's judges and Judge Gatti Santana as President.
Future reforms and facility closures
The nine member states emphasized that the Security Council must make decisions within the year to deliver significant cost savings and advance reforms. Key tasks include closing the court's two main facilities, transferring its archives, and transferring or ending several other operations.
The group expressed readiness to join consultations on responsible reforms while preserving the legacy of international criminal justice established by the Mechanism and its predecessor institutions. The communication was issued as Security Council document S/2026/629.
