canada is dealing with g 7 counterpart to coordinate the investigation of alleged war crimes committed in ukraine during the Russian invasion.
Justice Minister David Lamati released berlin declaration along with other G7 justice ministers, who pledged “no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities”.
“The criminal prosecution of major international crimes is a top priority for us,” said the declaration published on Tuesday.
“We will therefore ensure that each state has a central national contact point for the prosecution of these international crimes, if one does not currently exist, and liaise with our partners to provide easily accessible access to international co-ordination. Share details.”
Mandatory probe by UN says war crimes committed in Ukraine
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The announcement comes after months of brutal war in Ukraine, which began earlier this year when Russia invaded the country to illegally annex large swaths of its territory.
On September 23, A UN mandated investigative body found war crimesMany crimes were committed in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, including rape, torture, and the holding of children.
“Based on the evidence collected by the commission, it has been concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine,” Erik Moss, who heads the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that he accepted the findings. unveiled.
Investigators from the commission, created by the rights council in March, visited 27 locations and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses.
Mosse said they found evidence of a large amount of hanging, including hand-bound, slit throats and gunshot wounds to the head. He said investigators have identified victims of sexual violence who range in age from four to 82.
Meanwhile, Russia has denied deliberately attacking civilians and condemned the alleged atrocities as a Western smear campaign.
Despite this denial, the G7 justice ministers showed duplicity in their Berlin Declaration.
“We condemn in the strongest terms Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Russian Federation is openly violating international law, in particular the United Nations Charter.
“We also condemn in the strongest terms the continued attacks, killing and wounding of civilians, non-combatants and prisoners of war, the disappearance of children, the systematic targeting of critical infrastructure, and the widespread damage to health personnel and facilities . As conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence in Ukraine.
The declaration states that it is the “common goal” of the G7 nations to “establish accountability of perpetrators in actions taken in compliance with the rule of law and due process.”
“We remain steadfast in our shared commitment to achieving this goal,” the declaration said.
Investigations into alleged war crimes, the G7 ministers said, should be coordinated “from an early stage”.
“This will help our investigating officers proceed efficiently, avoid duplication of work and avoid re-traumatization of victims and witnesses, and prevent gaps in investigation,” he wrote.
“To this end, we will endeavor to enhance the use of existing and proven mechanisms in accordance with their respective mandates.”
In the announcement, the ministers said they would work with relevant NGOs and Ukrainian authorities as this work gets underway.
It will also use the Genocide Network – a body tasked with investigating and prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for the Council of the European Union – to facilitate information sharing through “networks of national contact points”. ” In form of.
“We reaffirm our continued effort to support the Ukrainian judicial authorities,” the declaration said.
– Reuters, with files from The Canadian Press
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