Global Rights Compliance (GRC) recently conducted an intensive training focused on case-building for prosecutors and investigators from Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv regions who are actively working on atrocity crimes committed since the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation Armed Forces.
The training primarily aimed to enhance the capacity of prosecutors and investigators to build complex cases targeting higher-ranking officials responsible for these crimes. The training provided participants with skills to properly map, aggregate, and prioritize cases related to international crimes committed in the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the investigations primarily focused on individual incidents and direct perpetrators. However, emerging information indicates that these international crimes were not isolated incidents. Instead, there is evidence suggesting a pattern of crimes, not only a repetition of the crime typology as military units move geographically, but also a possible coordination of crimes to gain military advantage and control over Ukraine.
Dušan Jovanović,Head of the GRC’s Mobile Justice Team (MJT) North, emphasised the importance of this training:
“This workshop is part of MJTs’ continuous collaboration with the regional prosecutors to ensure that robust cases against those most responsible for the crimes can be built. By equipping prosecutors with the skills to identify the links between the direct perpetrators and those who organize and encourage the crimes we aim to ensure that high-ranking officials can no longer hide from the consequences of their criminal policies”.
The workshop included theoretical presentations followed by practical exercises based on a mock case, guiding participants through the five stages of case building:
- Establishing the general context in which crimes took place
- Developing an investigative plan
- Gathering crime base evidence
- Establishing linkages
- Establishing modes of liability
A total of 22 prosecutors and investigators participated in the training. One of the participants shared their thoughts on the training:
“This training is crucial for us as it enhanses our ability to connect individual incidents into broader cases, helping us to target those who orchestrated these crimes. It provides us with the necessary tools to pursue justice at a higher level. The support from GRC and ACA Group is vital for us to ensure that those responsible are held accountable in the future.”
GRC, as a part of Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA), is committed to supporting the ongoing efforts of the Ukrainian prosecution offices and continues to provide essential resources and expertise to strengthen legal proceedings against those responsible for international crimes. ACA was established by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom to assist and facilitate Ukrainian law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting international crimes committed during the full-scale Russian war against Ukraine.