On December 15, 2022, an online discussion was held on the topic “Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine: where are we now?”.

The co-organizers were the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA), Global Accountability Network (GAN), International Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA International), and Robert H. Jackson Center.

The purpose of the event was to discuss, together with decision-makers, leading experts in international law and legal practitioners, the progress in the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. Such a measure is crucial and urgent, given the threat to the world system of ensuring peace and security posed by Russian aggression. 

This Tribunal is to complement the existing international judicial institutions and address the cornerstone of international crimes – the crime of aggression, or crime against peace.

The event was moderated by Inna Liniova, CEO of the Ukrainian Bar Association

The event was opened by Prof. Azish Filabi, Chair of NYSBA International, the American College Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services, King of Prussia, PA, and New York, NY, Kristan McMahon, President of the Robert H. Jackson Center in Jamestown, NY, Denys Maslov, Head of the Legal Policy Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine, Ciarán Cuffe, Member of the European Parliament.

The following speakers participated in the discussion:

• Anton Korynevych, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Agent of Ukraine before the International Court of Justice 
• Oleksandr Kachura, Ukrainian MP 
• Dr. Irina Paliashvili, President of Ukrainian Legal Group, Chair of the Legal Committee of U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, Member of the IBA’s SPPI Advisory Board
• Professor David M. Crane, former Chief Prosecutor for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, Founder of the Global Accountability Network
• Ambassador Hans Corell, Former Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations
• Ambassador David J. Scheffer, International Francqui Professor, KU Leuven, Belgium (Spring 2022), Professor of Practice, Arizona State University, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
• Hon. Professor Irwin Cotler, International Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, an Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and long-time Member of Parliament, and an international human rights lawyer
• Prof. Jennifer Trahan, Clinical Professor at NYU’s Center for Global Affairs and Director of their Concentration in International Law and Human Rights
• Dr. Paul R. Williams, Co-founder of the Public International Law and Policy Group (PILPG)

During the discussion, the experts exchanged opinions on a number of issues, in particular: the progress in the establishment of the Tribunal, existing obstacles to its establishment, diplomatic efforts of the Government and the Parliament of Ukraine, optimal model of the Tribunal, and others.

Particular attention during the event has been paid to the steps that legal communities around the globe could undertake to support the Tribunal.

We invite you to watch the event via the link.