Speaking to reporters in the Kiev suburb on Wednesday, Khan described all of Ukraine as a “scene” of possible war crimes: “We are here because we have reason to believe that crimes are being committed that fall within the court’s jurisdiction,” he said. According to the OSCE, there are indications of numerous crimes.
It is important “to penetrate the fog of war to find the truth,” said the Brit. “Independent and unbiased investigations” are required. That’s why a forensic team from the ICC is in Bucha “so that we can really make sure that we’re separating truth from fiction.”
EU mission to solve war crimes
An EU advisory mission in Ukraine that has been running since 2014 is also intended to help solve war crimes with immediate effect. On Wednesday, EU countries decided to change the mandate of the so-called EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM). The mission will support Ukrainian authorities in prosecuting crimes committed during Russia’s war of aggression, it said in a statement.
The mission is to work closely with the International Criminal Court and the Eurojust authority, and provide training and strategic advice to the Ukrainian authorities. EUAM has been active since December 2014. The aim so far has been to support the Ukrainian security sector in order to strengthen the rule of law in the country. According to the website, around 350 employees were recently involved in the mission – it was initially unclear whether all of them should be involved in the investigation of war crimes.
The EU Commission had announced that it would send investigative teams to Ukraine. According to a Commission spokesman, a joint investigative team made up of Ukrainians and experts from the member states has already been set up to collect evidence and support the work of the ICC.
Bodies of hundreds of civilians discovered
At the beginning of April, the bodies of hundreds of civilians were discovered in Bucha after the withdrawal of Russian troops. The Ukrainian authorities speak of murders by the Russian military, but Moscow rejects the allegations.
OSCE: Numerous indications of serious human rights violations
According to a report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), there are numerous indications of serious human rights violations by Russian troops since their invasion of Ukraine. Even if a “detailed assessment” was not possible, independent OSCE experts found a number of “clear cases” during their investigation in March, according to the 100-page report published in Vienna on Wednesday.
“Credible evidence” of torture and killings of civilians
It refers to attacks on “hospitals, homes, cultural assets, schools, and the water and electricity supply” with catastrophic consequences for the civilian population. The report also speaks of “credible evidence” of torture and ill-treatment as well as targeted killings and kidnappings from civilians.
The mission also notes “violations on the Ukrainian side”, particularly in the “treatment of prisoners of war”. However, the violations committed by Russia are “far more serious in nature and scope,” the report says.
This is based on information from various sources on the ground, including non-governmental organisations, investigative authorities and public officials. However, the experts completed their report before the bodies were found in Bucha.
Source: Nachrichten
