Draft Law for a Ukrainian High War Crimes Court

To facilitate fair and effective accountability for the atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine, PILPG, together with Weil Gotshal & Manges and jurists and legal experts from Ukraine, prepared draft legislation for a High War Crimes Court for Ukraine to prosecute atrocity crimes. Drawn from the Law on the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine of 2019 and best practices of internationalized domestic war crimes courts around the globe, this draft Law provides the template for a Ukrainian High War Crimes Court to prosecute atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine since November 2013.

Accountability Mechanisms for War Crimes Committed in Ukraine

PILPG collaborated with pro bono law firm partner Shearman and Sterling to create an Accountability Mechanisms for War Crimes Committed in Ukraine Legal Memorandum. This Memorandum considers three broad categories of tribunals with potential jurisdiction for prosecuting atrocity crimes in Ukraine committed during the current stage of war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine.

The Memorandum analyzes the accessibility of various jurisdictions, across the international and domestic legal spectrum, and evaluates the viability of potential claims, considering the prevailing legal framework of each forum.

МАСОВІ ЗВІРСТВА. ЯК ДОМОГТИСЯ ПРАВОСУДДЯ? Посібник для груп потерпілих від масових злочинів

Цей навчальний Посібник, розроблений Ініціативою міжнародного правосуддя Ференца від SCPG має на меті допомогти потерпілим від масових злочинів, а також тим, хто з ними працює, розробити стратегії просування правосуддя за масові звірства у довгостроковій перспективі

Legal Context on the War in Ukraine (2021)

This resource, prepared by PILPG, provides an analysis of the legal options to pursue accountability for the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine that began in 2014. This document includes information about the Ukraine Situation before the International Criminal Court, the crime of aggression and its history at the International Criminal Court, and a discussion of the crime of the aggression vis-à-vis the situation in Ukraine. Additionally, it details domestic prosecution options for the crime of aggression, information about the Ukraine v. Russia case before the International Court of Justice, and information about the Ukraine v. Russia cases before the European Court on Human Rights.

More Than Rhetoric? International Criminal Justice, Crime Semantics and the Role of the ICC in the Ukraine Conflict

This article, published on Opinio Juris and written by Carsten Stahn, examines the legal prohibition of a crime of aggression focusing on the context of the war in Ukraine. It discusses the International Criminal Court and its role in Ukraine and international criminal justice. The article particularly examines the issue from the perspective of public statements by international actors and crime semantics.

Proceedings instituted by Ukraine against the Russian Federation on 26 February 2022 before the International Court of Justice

This resource on the International Court of Justice website provides information on the legal complaint submitted by Ukraine on February 26, 2022, by Ukraine against the Russian Federation. The resource includes links to the press release about the submission of the application, Ukraine’s request for provisional measures, and the application submitted by Ukraine against Russia.

International Court of Justice: Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Ukraine v. Russian Federation)

This resource on the International Court of Justice website provides information on the legal case between Ukraine and the Russian Federation for crimes committed by Russia following the events that occurred in eastern Ukraine and in Crimea from the spring of 2014. The legal case relates to Russian violations under the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (ICSFT) and the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) relating to Crimean Tatars. On November 8, 2019, the Court ruled that it will move forward with examining the violations under both of the conventions.

International Criminal Court: Alleged crimes committed in the context of situation in Ukraine since 21 November 2013

This resource on the International Criminal Court website provides information on the Ukraine situation before the International Criminal Court. On 11 December 2020, the Prosecutor announced the completion of her preliminary examination of the situation in Ukraine, having concluded that there was a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed. The next step in the judicial process is for the Office of the Prosecutor to request authorization from the Pre-Trial Chamber to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine.