Ukrainian judges to carry out war crimes trials of Russians with UK training
The training is being run in Ukraine by British judge, Sir Howard Morrison, who worked at the International Criminal Court Yugoslavia and Rwanda
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Your support makes all the difference.A group of Ukrainian judges are set to undergo UK training to carry out potential war crimes trials for Russian soldiers.
The training started at a secret location last week. The move comes as part of a £2.5m investment
In a Sky News interview, Attorney General Victoria Prentis explained that the move would ensure perpetrators of atrocities can be prosecuted while the conflict continues
She also stressed how it will be able to happen at an unprecedented scale.
The vast majority of war crimes trials are expected to be carried out by Ukrainian judges.
The first trial was carried out in May and so far, 14 Russian soldiers have been convicted.
However, a total of more than 43,000 reported crimes have already been registered.
"They are prosecuting war crimes in real time" Ms Prentis said. "This is a live and very brutal conflict.
"Ukraine is managing with all the difficulties that we know are going on in the country at the moment, with things like power and organising courts, to try war crimes,” she added.
"This is very important, obviously because justice is important, but also because I hope that those Russian soldiers and officers who are watching the Ukrainian prosecutions at the moment will realise that they must act in accordance with international law.
"These 90 judges will go back after some really intensive training, able to better run those courts."
Both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenky and his wife Olena, have been keen for the establishment of a special tribunal for Ukraine.
They have compared the tribunal to the Nuremberg trials which took place in 1946 after the Second World War, but for the Russian leadership.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague has opened an investigation into the Ukraine war - but both of the Zelenskys say a special tribunal alongside it would mean that a wider range of claims could be prosecuted.
The judges’ training is being run by Sir Howard Morrison, who is a British judge that worked at the International Criminal Court and on the International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
Speaking to Sky News he said: "War crimes bring an added dimension, particularly when you have mass graves.
"I’ve spent 25 years staring either literally or metaphorically into mass graves, and believe me it’s a very different exercise than a single body or a single victim.
Adding: "They [judges] are very much aware of the necessity to run these trials in accordance with internationally recognised standards."
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