EU underscores need to enhance fight against impunity in Russia’s war against Ukraine

The Council of the European Union today adopted conclusions on the fight against impunity regarding crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

“In its conclusions, the Council calls on member states to adopt measures to fully implement the definition of core international crimes and modes of liability enshrined in the Rome Statute. It also asks member states to allow the exercise of universal jurisdiction or other forms of domestic jurisdiction over core international crimes, and to enable close judicial cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC),” reads the press release published on the Council’s website.

The Council calls on member states to provide adequate support for the creation and functioning of specialised units dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of core international crimes at national level.

“Member states should also raise awareness among the Ukrainian refugee community of the possibility of giving testimony in member states, and should strengthen the support and protection of victims of core international crimes in criminal proceedings,” the document reads.

In addition, the Council calls on member states to support the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office and to consider participating in the rotation model coordinated by the ICC. It also asks them to strengthen cooperation with EU stakeholders such as Eurojust, Europol or EUAM Ukraine to enhance successful investigation and prosecution.

The European Commission is asked to enhance financial, logistical, technical and substantive support to member states and to promote the exchange of best practices, knowledge and expertise. The Commission should also continue supporting national and international investigative and evidence-gathering mechanisms, specifically with respect to battlefield evidence, the document says.

Moreover, the Council calls on relevant EU bodies, including Eurojust, Europol, the Genocide Network and EUAM Ukraine to continue providing their support and guidance.

As reported, after the liberation of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, massive crimes committed by the Russian invaders against the civilian population of Ukraine were exposed, including mass murders, torture, rape, forced abductions, and others. The European Union and its member states resolutely support the efforts of the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine to document and investigate these crimes, and involved their experts in the international investigation.

The EU adopted the new rules allowing Eurojust to receive, study and store outside Ukraine a large array of evidence of crimes committed by the Russian invaders in order to protect the evidence from the risks associated with hostilities in Ukraine.

ol