Ukraine: Understanding War Crimes Trials
A new IWPR guide demystifies war crimes justice for Ukrainians.
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Ukraine: Understanding War Crimes Trials
Public awareness and appreciation of often complex processes is vital to their success.
Welcome to IWPR’s Frontline Update, your go-to source to hear from journalists and local voices at the front lines of conflict.
THE BIG PICTURE
Ukraine is investigating more than 150,000 alleged Russian war crimes, with international justice efforts also underway to hold perpetrators to account, including the top echelons of the leadership.
While the scale and complexity of these judicial proceedings can be challenging, public understanding and support of these processes is vital for their success. A new IWPR guide lays out key concepts and best practice in a concise and accessible format.
VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINE
"Justice is a shared responsibility,” Nobel Peace prizewinner and IWPR board member Oleksandra Matviichuk wrote in her foreword for the guide.
“Prosecutors, police, and judges play a central role. But civil society, media, and, above all, survivors are essential to the process.”
The guide’s author, legal expert Oksana Maksymeniuk, explained that the Ukrainian public needed to be active participants in an often complex, confusing and bureaucratic process.
“Understandably, ordinary Ukrainians have little knowledge of just what war crimes justice involves. Why would they? But these legal processes are a vital part of the fight for accountability and an important part of ensuring future healing. The public has an important part to play in all of this.”
As a journalist in Ukraine, Viktoria from Media Initiative for Human Rights has been documenting war crimes in the de-occupied Kharkiv region.
As editor-in-chief of Dumka, Yuriy sees the impact of war crimes firsthand. But reporting on trials isn’t just about storytelling - it’s about truth, accountability, and historical accuracy.
WHY IT MATTERS
The user-friendly document covers key issues from the definition of war crimes to the role played by judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers.
Published in Ukrainian and English, it lays out the basic steps of investigation, from collecting evidence and testimonies to identifying suspects, as well as explaining what happens during a war crimes trial and the appeals process.
Looking at both Ukrainian law and the role of international courts, the guide also explores how documenting crimes prevent history from being rewritten and contribute to the healing process.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The guide is part of IWPR’s Ukraine Justice Report, which provides in-depth coverage of judicial processes taking place across the country as well as dedicated analysis and reporting on international justice issues connected to the invasion.
The publication also draws on IWPR’s decades-long experience reporting international justice issues, from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to the International Criminal Court.
Understanding war crimes trials is key to ensuring justice and accountability. This is fundamental for long-term peace and security, as well as healing.
