Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, has proposed the creation of an alternative international judicial body under the framework of the BRICS group, as a replacement for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

In an article published in Jurisprudence, the academic journal of Saint Petersburg State University, Medvedev argued that it is entirely feasible to develop a regional legal institution within BRICS to serve as a counterweight to the ICC.

According to Medvedev, such a court could reaffirm the member states’ commitment to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, particularly the immunity of sovereign leaders from foreign jurisdiction and the non-interference in the internal affairs of states, including the rejection of foreign directives aimed at opposition leadership.

This proposal comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and the ICC, especially after the court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.

The BRICS alliance—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has long sought to bolster its influence in the global order by establishing parallel institutions that reflect a shifting balance in international relations.