We continue to introduce you to the members of the Supervisory Board of the UBA Human Rights Institute. Each of them makes a significant contribution to advancing human rights in Ukraine and supports the Association’s mission to strengthen the rule of law and uphold democratic values.

David Crane, Founding Chief Prosecutor of the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone:

“It is only through the rule of law that international peace and security can be maintained. The cornerstone to this security is human rights for all of the world’s citizens. This institute will advance the fundamentals of decency and respect for mankind and advocate for the citizens of Ukraine.”

David M. Crane was the founding chief prosecutor of the international war crimes tribunal in West Africa called the United Nations Special Court for Sierra Leone.  The world’s first hybrid international war crimes tribunal, the Special Court for Sierra Leone successfully prosecuted those who bore the greatest responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity, to include the first sitting African head of state in history, President Charles Taylor. He recently published a book on his experience there called Every Living Thing, the first time an international chief prosecutor has written about his daily experiences seeking justice for victims of atrocity.

Dr. Crane served thirty years in the US federal government prior to his selection by Kofi Annan to be the Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court, the first American since Justice Robert H. Jackson.  A member of the Senior Executive Service of the United States, he retired from federal service as the Director of the Office of Intelligence Review in the Department of Defense where he oversaw on behalf of the Secretary of Defense and the Intelligence Committees of the US Congress, 80% of the US Intelligence Community organizations.

Since leaving West Africa, Dr. Crane has been a leading force in seeking justice for the people of Syria through the Syrian Accountability Project and assisting in the creation of the International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for the Republic of Syria.  The Syrian Accountability Project is part of the Global Accountability Network (which he founded) that also houses the Yemeni Accountability Project and the Venezuelan Accountability Project, as well as the Uyghur and Ukrainian Accountability Projects. 

Dr. Crane is assisting the international community in the creation of a Special Tribunal for Ukraine on the Crime of Aggression. For these efforts Presided Vladimir Putin has placed sanctions on him and banned him from travel to the Russian Federation. He is one of twenty-five persons that Putin has personally sanctioned as an enemy of the state.

In 2014, Dr. Crane was the co-author of the world famous “Caesar Report” which captured for the first time direct evidence of crimes against humanity being committed by President Assad of Syria against his own citizens.

Dr. Crane is a veteran having served his country as an officer in the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam era and the 82d Airborne Division, as well as a Special Operations Officer in the United State Army. His highest awards include the master parachute badge and the Legion of Merit.

He holds various undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees from Ohio University, Syracuse University and Case Western University.

He recently retired as a professor at Syracuse University College of Law where he founded Impunity Watch.  Dr. Crane currently is a distinguished scholar in residence at Syracuse University and an adjunct professor with the Washington College of Law of American University where he teaches international criminal practice.

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