New Danish project will support evidence collection for international crimes in Ukraine

Ever since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Denmark has worked to ensure that those responsible for international crimes committed in Ukraine will be held accountable. That effort will now be taken a step further.

A Danish-led project supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contribute to the securing of evidence of international crimes and human rights violations committed in Ukraine. This will be announced by Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Jeppe Kofod in New York today, where he is co-hosting an international side event on accountability during the high level week of the UN General Assembly.

The Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. 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 Danish civil society organization, DIGNITY, will lead the project financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of 1 million USD. Through the project, Ukrainian civil society actors will be supported in the collection and storage of evidence in order for it to be handed over to the Ukrainian national prosecution authorities and the International Criminal Court (ICC) and form part of the investigation of international crimes. The project will also focus on the proper treatment of victims and witnesses to avoid the reliving of potential trauma.

CEO at DIGNITY, Mr. Rasmus Grue Christensen, states:

- 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.

For further information contact: pressevagten@um.dk

Background

Denmark has supported actions of ensuring accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Denmark was one of the more than 40 countries who referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC in the spring of 2022. Denmark has also provided extraordinary financial support to the work of the court as well as secondment of Danish expertise to the investigative work of the court. Moreover, Denmark together with a broad coalition of countries including Albania, Colombia, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, and Ukraine are co-chairs of a cross-regional group of friends in the UN that works to maintain international focus on holding Russia accountable for international crimes committed in Ukraine.

DIGNITY – Danish Institute against Torture is a Danish NGO that combats torture in more than twenty countries around the world. DIGNITY is also the driving force behind the platform “International Accountability Platform for Belarus” that collects evidence for human rights violations in Belarus. Therefore, the organization has in-depth knowledge of documenting international crimes, including gender based violence.

DIGNITY has entered into a partnership with the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG) in the new project on accountability of crimes committed in Ukraine, which is one of the most respected human rights organizations in Ukraine.