New York, The Hague
In the face of the shocking evidence of massive violations of International Humanitarian Law in Bucha and other locations in Ukraine, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) joins the forceful statement issued today in Kyiv by the Euromaidan SOS coalition calling for the President of Ukraine to sign into law Act of Parliament No. 2689, which was adopted by an overwhelming majority of the Rada in May 2021.
This Act of Parliament implements war crimes, crimes against humanity and other norms of International Criminal Law in the domestic legal order.
Members of PGA-Ukraine played a dynamic role in presenting and supporting this legislation, while the PGA Secretariat provided technical assistance upon request of the relevant committees of the Rada.
The global PGA network in 130+ countries joins the EuroMaidan SOS' demand to President Zelensky to promptly ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC, hence giving effect to Article 124 of the Ukrainian Constitution as reformed in 2016, with the active support of civil society partners under the leadership of the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL).
As the ICC and national prosecutorial authorities are developing their complementary investigations on the ground, the evidence of mass atrocities must be carefully preserved by a joint effort in which all relevant expert bodies must respectfully coordinate their interventions. This means that the territorial State, Ukraine, needs to receive all the necessary cooperation from third States, regional organizations (e.g. Europol and Eurojust as announced by the President of the European Commission) and NGOs.
In parallel to the priority efforts aimed at ending the unlawful aggression against Ukraine and promoting the immediate cessation of hostilities, the International Community must support the fight against impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression occurring in, and against, Ukraine: Victims and their families have the right to truth, justice, and reparations.
PGA supports the leadership role played by Members of the Ukrainian Parliament in serving their communities and constituencies.