Holding russia to account: a British lawyer spoke at a scientific event
On 19 February, Mariupol State University brought together experts in international relations and law. The indomitable MSU community and experts from the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman held a roundtable discussion on International and Legal Aspects of Bringing to Justice Those Responsible for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
The head of the university, Mykola Trofymenko was the first to address the audience. He emphasised the importance of the event, which was made possible through a fruitful partnership with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets and the Ombudsman’s Office.
The keynote speaker at the roundtable was British lawyer Geoffrey Knice, whose professional experience is impressive. He was once the President of the China and Uyghur Tribunals and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
In his report, the speaker reviewed the historical aspect of the conflicts and high-profile trials of aggressor state leaders and their supporters. He stressed that in Ukraine’s struggle for justice, it is important to take into account the vulnerability of the legal system, which “can be influenced by the political situation in the cases that are being prosecuted in court”. However, it will not be easy for the russian leadership to avoid punishment for international offences if Ukraine’s allies are more courageous and uncompromising.
