Kyiv prepares transitional justice system for Donbas and Crimea
A transitional justice system will be developed in order to restore peace and normal life in the occupied Donbas territory, eliminate the human rights violations against Ukraine’s citizens, bring to justice those who have committed crimes, and provide compensation for losses, said Ruslan Ryaboshapka, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
With the president’s permanent representative to Crimea Anton Korynevych and Crimean Prosecutor General Hyunduz Mamedov, Ryaboshapka has discussed the drafting of a strategy to re-integrate the occupied territories of the Donbas and Crimea. The three politicians highlighted the importance of having an action plan that would be revised regularly.
They will also draft a transitional justice system which implements the norms and principles of international humanitarian and criminal law.
“One of the priorities is ultimately to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which was signed 20 years ago,” Ryaboshapka wrote on Facebook.
He said that, since it does not have national experience in post-conflict resolution, the work group, which is primarily comprised of members of public organizations, will pay attention to the international practice.
“The temporarily occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea are not merely land that we need to take back. There are Ukrainians who live there, with whom we need to establish a common life after a five year disruption, 1.4 million forcibly displaced persons, many of whom will quite likely decide to return to their often damaged homes. And there are many other problems related to the temporary occupation of our land,” he added.