Justice ministers from around the world will convene in London in
March to support the International Criminal Court (ICC)
investigating alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
The meeting at Lancaster House will be hosted by Deputy Prime
Minister and the Minister of Justice
and Security of the Netherlands, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.
It aims to increase the global financial and practical support
being offered to the ICC and coordinate efforts to ensure it has
all it needs to carry out investigations and prosecute those
responsible.
The group will hear from Prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan KC, on
the Court’s work and the role of the international community in
supporting its investigations.
The meeting comes as Russia steps up its campaign of terror
against Ukraine, striking at crucial energy infrastructure and
plunging people into the dark and freezing cold of winter. In
reclaimed areas of Ukraine, prosecutors continue to gather
evidence of atrocities and sexual violence.
Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for
Justice, , said:
Russian forces should know they cannot act with impunity and we
will back Ukraine until justice is served.
Almost a year on from the illegal invasion, the international
community must give its strongest backing to the ICC so war
criminals can be held to account for the atrocities we’re
witnessing.
The meeting will allow countries to determine how to provide
further help to the Court. This includes practical support such
as helping to gather information and share evidence of
atrocities committed on the ground. Ministers will also discuss
how to help victims and witnesses provide testimonies without
causing them further distress.
Minister of Justice and Security of the Netherlands, Dilan
Yeşilgöz-Zegerius said:
The reports and images of Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked armed
attack on Ukraine are horrific. For us it is crystal clear: these
crimes may not go unpunished.
During this timely meeting we will continue to coordinate with
our partners to ensure that support to the ICC and the Ukrainian
authorities is offered.
Last year, the UK offered a bespoke package of support to the
ICC, which included an additional £1 million funding and
dedicated police assistance.
It follows action taken by the UK to galvanise allies to refer
atrocities in Ukraine to the ICC last March. The state party
referral, now supported by 43 countries, meant that the
Prosecutor was able to proceed straight to an investigation,
without the need for judicial approval.
The UK Government also continues to support Ukraine’s domestic
investigations. Along with the US and the EU, the UK established
the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group to support investigations and
has funded a training programme for Ukrainian judges set to
conduct trials for war crimes. There are 30 judges already taking
part and a similar training programme for prosecutors in Ukraine,
led by the Crown Prosecution Service, is due to start later this
year.
Sir Howard Morrison KC, a war crimes expert, has been appointed
as an Independent Adviser to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General to
offer legal advice in relation to the investigations and
prosecutions and is overseeing the judges’ training
programme. Court proceedings have begun in more than 200 cases of
alleged war crimes and over 50,000 war crimes files have been
opened to date.
Around £400 million in UK economic and humanitarian grant support
has been provided to Ukraine, while over £1.25 billion in
multilateral loans has been unlocked via UK guarantees. Funding
has also recently been provided to the Ukraine Energy Support
Fund which will enable the provision of emergency energy
equipment and resources to repair damaged infrastructure.
The UK has now provided £2.3 billion in military support to
Ukraine in 2022 - more than any country other than the United
States - and has already committed to sustain that level of
military support into 2023. The PM also recently announced a new
contract worth £250 million that will ensure a constant flow of
critical artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023.
In 2022, the Netherlands dispatched two forensic investigation
teams to collect evidence that can be used in investigations into
crimes committed in Ukraine. The teams operated under the banner
of the ICC and two additional missions are envisaged for 2023.
The Netherlands has also made a voluntary financial contribution
of €2 million to the Trust Fund of the Office of the Prosecutor
of the ICC and has seconded personnel from the National Police
and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Netherlands to the ICC.
