Ukrainian civil society organisations will be trained by DIGNITY to collect and preserve evidence of international crimes committed in Ukraine.
A new initiative will ensure the collection, verification, analysis, and preservation of information about and evidence of torture and other international crimes in war-torn Ukraine. This evidence should help enabling Ukrainian prosecutors and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the cases and bring perpetrators to justice.
The effort – which will be led by DIGNITY – is supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs with 8 million Danish kroner (which equals 1 million US dollars) and will, in addition to training Ukrainian civil society organisations in collecting and storing evidence, also focus on support for victims and witnesses with trauma from war, flight, and torture.
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod states:
»The Russian forces have advanced in Ukraine with unprecedented brutality. The pictures of mass graves and abused corpses in Izyum speak for themselves. It has been a key priority of Denmark to ensure that those responsible for the atrocities committed will be held accountable since the beginning of the invasion. And I am proud that Denmark will contribute to ensuring that evidence will be collected to the investigation through this project. It is crucial to conduct legal proceedings and eventually convict those responsible«.
The collection of evidence will be carried out in cooperation with, among others, the leading Ukrainian human rights organisation Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG).
»At DIGNITY, we look forward to playing a significant role in promoting documentation and possible prosecution of international crimes in Ukraine. Together with our Ukrainian partners, we can make a concrete and positive difference amid the horrors of war. We are proud to be able to shoulder this responsibility and grateful to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their cooperation on this important agenda«, says DIGNITY’s CEO, Rasmus Grue Christensen.
