Last week, Wayne Jordash KC, President of Global Rights Compliance, took part in the conference “From Testimony to Verdict. Justice in Wartime” organised by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR).
A dedicated panel on ‘International Justice Mechanisms: Prospects and the Role of Public Accountability’ focused on how international justice mechanisms can strengthen Ukraine’s national efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes and the crime of aggression. Despite the key role of international institutions, their jurisdictional, political and resource constraints require a multidimensional approach.
A significant aspect of this conversation was the issue of accountability for those who create the conditions for crimes to be committed — and whether they should bear the same responsibility as the direct perpetrators.
Wayne Jordash KC considered this question in relation to Russia’s propagandists and those engaged in contributing to crimes through ‘information alibis’: “Why should these individuals who facilitate and aid the commission of a crime be less accountable than the one who provides the bullets? That is the question at the heart of the information alibi.”
The panel discussion highlighted the complex yet vital role of international mechanisms in achieving justice. A realistic path to accountability lies in a combination of complementary mechanisms that work alongside domestic institutions and public oversight.
This panel discussion was facilitated by ІРРП – Інститут розвитку регіональної преси and ZMINA. Центр прав людини, and Regional Center for Human Rights.