Austria pledges to defend ICJ and ICC and demands accountability for violations

Bata Minel Risinger emphasized that international law must be applied uniformly and that institutions of accountability such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) must be protected. "Where violations occur, there must be responsibility and accountability," she said.

Risinger said Austria will stand firm in defending those institutions and that rules alone do not defend themselves; they require capable institutions to uphold them. She linked legal accountability to protection of civilians across conflicts in Sudan, the DRC, Yemen, Haiti, Myanmar and Ethiopia.