In order to help the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) with its investigation into war crimes perpetrated in Ukraine, including sexual violence related to conflict, the UK government will today (July 14, 2022) announce a new £2.5 million support package.
With mounting evidence that Russian forces may have committed war crimes, UK backing will be essential in aiding the Ukrainian government in their efforts to pursue justice.
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign Office, will speak at the Ukraine Accountability Conference in The Hague today, which is being co-hosted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Commission. He will discuss the UK’s ongoing commitment to assisting Ukraine in holding those responsible for these crimes accountable.
The Atrocity Crimes Advisory group (ACA), which was established in May in collaboration with the EU and US to assist the OPG with the gathering of evidence and prosecution of war crimes, will provide the UK’s £2.5 million package of support for 2022 to 2023. Mobile Justice Teams will be sent to the scene of potential war crimes, up to 90 judges will be trained, forensic evidence will be gathered, and UK experts in sexual violence in conflict will provide assistance.
It comes after the UK already contributed £1 million toward initiatives to promote justice and accountability as well as technical know-how. In order to determine how best to support the Prosecutor General, the UK sent a team of war crimes specialists to Poland in May. Later that month, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General paid a visit to the UK.
The Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Minister Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, will draw attention to the mounting evidence of sexual violence and other crimes committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
In his speech, he will urge all governments and international organisations to support the guidelines in the Murad Code, a universal code of conduct that ensures those interviewing victims of sexual violence in conflict do so in a safe, moral, and efficient manner. He will also consider the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference that the UK will be hosting in November, where the UK will collaborate with partners to bring about significant change for survivors.
In his speech, Lord Ahmad will say:
‘In Ukraine there is mounting evidence of atrocities, including of sexual violence, committed by Russian forces. We are working directly with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General to ensure all potential war crimes are fully investigated, and those responsible are held to account.
‘Collaborating with partners around the world, the UK is ready to spearhead efforts to strengthen global commitment to accountability for these heinous crimes. The Murad Code, launched at the UN Security Council in April, is an essential tool in ensuring the safe, secure and effective way of documenting crimes of sexual violence in conflict and ensuring perpetrators are brought to account.
‘Our international PSVI conference on 28 to 30 November will be a moment to come together, to prove that we mean it when we say ‘enough is enough’, and to deliver real change for survivors.’
Melinda Simmons, UK Ambassador to Ukraine said:
‘The evidence of the horrific crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, and the first-hand accounts I have heard from the survivors, will stay with me forever. But even more powerful is the resolve I have witnessed in the Ukrainian people to respond to these atrocities. I am pleased that UK expertise and funding will help the Office of the Prosecutor-General to expose these crimes and bring perpetrators to account.’
The announcement of support made today coincides with the anticipated release of the OSCE’s second Moscow Mechanism report, which highlights potential war crimes and contraventions of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, including proof of sex assault resulting from military conflict.
In order to punish Russia for its unwarranted assault against Ukraine, Russian forces have introduced barbarism to the country and committed heinous atrocities, especially against women and children. The UK and its allies continue to take firm action in this regard.