Summary Report from “Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine Joint Efforts to Make it Happen” Conference
“With a View on Three Years of War in Ukraine: Testimony, Justice, Support.”
Project Sunflowers invites you to a special event dedicated to the war in Ukraine, as part of the “With a View on Europe” series.
Join us on February 18 at 11:00 AM at the House of Europe, Widok 10, Wrocław, for the debate titled:
“With a View on Three Years of War in Ukraine: Testimony, Justice, Support.”
This event will focus on three key topics:
- The experiences of eyewitnesses of the war,
- Criminal accountability for war crimes and the pursuit of justice,
- Support for individuals who have survived war crimes in Ukraine.
What challenges do Ukrainian civilians face?
How do they live under constant shelling, often without access to basic services after three years of war? Our speakers will address these pressing questions.
In the second part of the debate, experts will discuss the mechanisms of prosecuting and trying war criminals under international law, including the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which is currently investigating the war in Ukraine.
We will explore:
- The challenges facing the ICC,
- Whether Russian decision-makers will be held accountable,
- The role of the Trust Fund for Victims, which implements reparation judgments issued by the ICC in cases where individuals have been convicted of war crimes.
The final segment will focus on organizations gathering evidence of international crimes committed in Ukraine. Our guests will share insights on:
- How evidence is collected from potential witnesses and war victims,
- The process of working with survivors of war crimes,
- Collaboration between civil society organizations, national authorities, and international institutions.
Speakers include:
- Dr. Ewa Hofmańska – Ph.D. in Law, legal scholar with national and international experience, including at the ICC’s Trust Fund for Victims. Founder of Fundacja Sunflowers and Project Sunflowers, which collects evidence of international crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine.
- Dr. Mateusz Piątkowski – Assistant Professor at the Department of International Law, University of Łódź, lawyer specializing in international humanitarian law, especially aerial warfare.
- Bianka Zalewska – Lawyer, war correspondent, and humanitarian activist with reports from Ukraine, Iraq, and Syria. A recipient of the International Women of Courage Award, honored by the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Moderator: Filip Marczyński, journalist from Radio Wrocław.
“And we will continue to stand with Ukraine.” — Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Discover how the European Commission supports Ukraine and learn more about the efforts of Project Sunflowers in documenting war crimes.
Participation is free, but registration is required due to limited space.
Register via email: COMM-REP-PL-WROCLAW@ec.europa.eu or phone: (+48) 71 324 09 09.
We also invite you to join our Facebook event hosted by the European Commission in Poland.
After the debate, enjoy Ukrainian-inspired refreshments and networking opportunities.
Bianka Zalewska talked about the role of journalists in reporting on war crimes, the trauma of war and the challenges of working on the front line. She supported her presentation with photographs taken during her journalistic work in Ukraine. Dr Mateusz Piatkowski spoke about the role of international humanitarian law in the conduct of warfare and the protection of civilians. Dr Ewa Hofmańska, President of the Board of Foundation Sunflowers, talked about the pursuit of justice and reparations for victims of international crimes and the role of Project Sunflowers in collecting information about incidents in Ukraine that might be considered as international crimes for the purposes of investigations into these cases and future reparation procedures.
The event was an excellent opportunity to showcase the Project Sunflowers and encourage Ukrainians presented at the venue to share information about incidents they have witnessed in Ukraine and the damage suffered.
News
Foundation Sunflowers Calls for Unconditional Support of the International Criminal Court in Light of U.S. Measures
In view of the measures imposed today by the U.S. on the International Criminal Court, its officials, staff, all those who support the Court in exercising international justice, Foundation Sunflowers has sent an open letter to Mr. Radosław Sikorski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, and Mr. Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of Poland, calling for unconditional support of the Court.
News
Foundation Sunflowers Signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for the Study of International Crimes at the University of Warsaw
We are thrilled to announce that the Foundation Sunflowers has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre for the Study of International Crimes at the University of Warsaw. This centre was established in December 2022. Its mission is to take an active position in the ongoing scientific discussion on international crimes and to create a platform for cooperation between experts from different research centres, civil society organizations and judicial bodies.
News
Defending Justice: Global Opposition to U.S. Sanctions Against the ICC
More than 140 NGOs, including Project Sunflowers, strongly oppose U.S. sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC). These sanctions threaten the court’s independence, obstruct justice for victims of serious international crimes, and undermine global accountability efforts. The coalition urges ICC member states to condemn these actions, protect the court from political interference, and strengthen cooperation to ensure the ICC can continue its vital work.
Read more about it here: https://coalitionfortheicc.org/oppose-sanctions-against-ICC-safeguard-victims-access-justice
News
Position of the Coalition of Victims, Survivors and Witnesses (KOOS) regarding the Resolution of the Council of Ministers on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp
Project Sunflowers, together with the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and The Polish Center For Torture Survivors, calls on the Council of Ministers of Poland to respect its international obligations.
News
Dr. Yevheniia Bondarenko Joins the Sunflowers Foundation Board
We are proud to announce that the Board of the Sunflowers Foundation has been strengthened with the addition of Dr. Yevheniia Bondarenko!
Dr Yevheniia Bondarenko is a legal expert with over 17 years of experience specializing in human rights, rule of law, and support for vulnerable populations. She is specialised on providing legal support and advocacy for the protection of rights of women, minors and persons with disabilities. She has created targeted training materials to effectively support vulnerable groups, including victims of CRVS, gender-based violence, internally displaced persons, and children. Her extensive background encompasses both academic research and the practical implementation of legal frameworks, focusing on judicial reform and legal education.
Dr. Bondarenko has a proven track record in project development and management, capacity building, and ensuring compliance with EU and international standards. Within Ukraine’s judiciary, she is specialized in establishing services, training judges and court staff on gender-based violence and civil registration issues and disseminating EU practices. Moreover, Dr. Bondarenko as a part of evaluation team has produced comprehensive report and actionable recommendations for the OHCHR and the Government of Ukraine to enhance HRMMU’s effectiveness, with a particular focus on gender, disability, and human rights.
Interview given by Dr Andriy Kosylo, Executive Board member of the Foundation Sunflowers, on the Project Sunflowers and the conference on universal jurisdiction
Will European states be able to prosecute and try Russian war criminals?
Interview given by Dr Andriy Kosylo, Executive Board member of the Foundation Sunflowers, on the Project Sunflowers and the conference on universal jurisdiction
Watch the interview on Magnolia TV: https://magnolia-tv.com/news/116659-chy-zmozhut-yevropeyski-derzhavy-peresliduvaty-i-sudyty-voyennykh-zlochyntsiv-rf-video
Conference on Accountability for Crimes Committed in Ukraine and Joint Efforts to Make it Happen 13 November 2024, Warsaw
Foundation Sunflowers together with Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, under an honorary patronage of the Ministry of Justice, is organizing a conference on Accountability for Crimes Committed in Ukraine and Joint Efforts to Make it Happen. The conference will take place on 13 November 2024, in Warsaw, Poland.
The conference, hosted by Poland, is an opportunity to bring together Polish, Ukrainian and international policymakers, legal experts, academics, and civil society organisations (CSOs) to take stock and discuss the importance of domesticating international criminal law to fight impunity for international crimes committed by the Russian Federation armed forces in Ukraine. The aims are to:
- enhance coordination of accountability initiatives in Poland and with other European actors.
- reflect on necessary policy change and capacity building in Poland to increase the effectiveness of these initiatives, comparing experiences from other countries where international crimes are prosecuted before domestic courts.
- promote a holistic approach to ensuring the rights of the victims and survivors.
Poland, as a country bordering Ukraine and hosting nearly one million refugees, has taken action to fight the impunity of the perpetrators of international crimes committed in Ukraine. In 2022, the Office of the Polish Prosecutor General initiated criminal proceedings concerning Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and war crimes committed in the context of the war. The purpose is to support investigations conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Ukrainian justice system, and European countries that exercise universal jurisdiction. Civil society organisations in Poland have also documented violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) to support access to justice and reparations for the survivors. At the same time, Poland faces challenges that must be addressed to ensure more effective investigation and prosecution of international crimes. The challenges are legal (e.g., related to exercising universal jurisdiction, developing a methodology of investigating international crimes) and practical (e.g., implementing standards to prevent re-victimization in collecting evidence and developing guidelines to ensure victims and survivors can access medical and psycho-social assistance). The conference participants will be asked to share their knowledge and expertise to inform solutions to both challenges. Two panels will focus on the legal aspects, and two panels will examine the needs and rights of the survivors.
The conference’s language is English, and simultaneous translation (Ukrainian, Polish) will be provided. The participants will represent the legal profession from Poland, Ukraine, and other European countries, as well as international institutions, academia, and civil society organisations.
The conference is organized with the support of the EU Project Pravo-Justice, Krajowa Izba Radców Prawnych, Naczelna Rada Adwokacka, the Institute of Legal Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Raphael Lemkin Centre for Documenting Russian Crimes in Ukraine, the Polish Center for Tortured Survivors Foundation, the Opora Foundation in Warsaw, and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. The media patronage of the conference was provided by Wolters Kluwer.
