What should the justice architecture in Ukraine look like?

In order to ensure justice for victims of war and end impunity for the most serious international crimes, Ukraine needs a three-tiered justice architecture that includes national, hybrid and international elements.

Specialised domestic system

Special internationalised (hybrid, mixed) mechanism

International Criminal Court

It is the Ukrainian justice system that bears the brunt of the burden and is supposed to handle most of the cases. The system needs to be improved and strengthened, as well as supported by additional mechanisms. They will take away some of the workload and strengthen the domestic system`s potential.

No mechanism can single-handedly address the demand for justice for conflict-related crimes, especially given the magnitude and scale of violations committed in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. However a comprehensive approach to justice and a system of complementing mechanisms can close existing accountability gaps. It is important that not only the three tiers mentioned above, but also other initiatives and mechanisms - such as universal jurisdiction proceedings, joint investigative teams, etc. - effectively interact and form a holistic justice architecture.

This idea is reflected in our report ‘Needs Assessment of Ukraine`s Legal System: Delivering Meaningful Justice to the Victims and Survivors of the Armed Conflict’.

Read more about the state of the system today, existing gaps and possible solutions below, as well as in the report itself.