7 October 2024
In our latest research brief, 'Navigating Pathways Toward Transitional Justice in Ukraine', Chhime Namdol Sherpa and Robin van der Lugt examine the justice initiatives currently unfolding in Ukraine and assess how these efforts can be adapted to lay the groundwork for a holistic transitional justice process, even as the Russo-Ukraine conflict persists.
Since 2014, Ukraine has faced a series of overlapping crises—ranging from the Maidan protests and civil unrest in Donbas to the annexation of Crimea, the armed conflict in Donbas and the full-scale invasion by Russia—within a complex post-Soviet socio-economic and political landscape. These challenges have resulted in a fragmented landscape of reforms and justice initiatives.
The current reality, characterized by Ukraine’s defense against an aggressor state, continues to restrict its ability to engage in a meaningful transitional justice process, which requires extensive self-scrutiny and space for open dialogue within society. Progress in this area appears contingent on the cessation of hostilities and establishing inter-state assurances of non-recurrence against aggression.
Despite these challenges, the authors note that both Ukraine and the international community are engaging with transitional justice, albeit with an overt focus on individual criminal responsibility. Initiatives such as documentation and preservation of evidence, domestic trials, and ICC arrest warrants represent critical components of an emerging transitional justice process amid conflict. Simultaneously, broader recovery efforts are taking place in Ukraine on a scale unprecedented during large-scale armed conflicts. The authors caution that these efforts must consider the potential drivers of post-conflict violence and acknowledge how wartime justice and recovery pursuits could impact future dynamics. They highlight the need for a cohesive strategy that integrates truth, justice, reparations, guarantees of non-recurrence, and collective memory —one that responds to the unique complexities of Ukraine’s situation.
ICRC
Geneva Academy
Our Annual Report provides an overview of the activity of the Geneva Academy in 2023.
ICRC
Our latest research brief, 'Navigating Pathways Toward Transitional Justice in Ukraine' examines the initiatives currently unfolding in Ukraine and assesses how they can lead to a holistic transitional justice process.
Brill Nijhoff
In his book launch, Linus Mührel will discuss his book’s main findings with experts from academia and the ICRC.
ICRC
This online short course discusses the protection offered by international humanitarian law (IHL) in non-international armed conflicts (NIACs) and addresses some problems and controversies specific to IHL of NIACs, including the difficulty to ensure the respect of IHL by armed non-state actors.
ICRC
This online short course provides an overview of the content and evolution of the rules governing the use of unilateral force in international law, including military intervention on humanitarian grounds and the fight against international terrorism. It focuses on the practice of states and international organizations.
UNAMID
This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). It is primarily a legal reference source for a broad audience, including non-specialists, interested in issues surrounding the classification of armed conflicts under IHL.
Geneva Academy