Summary Report from “Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine Joint Efforts to Make it Happen” Conference
Category: News
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
Interview given by Dr Ewa Hofmańska and Professor Hanna Kuczyńska about the conference on universal jurisdiction, organizing with Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
Poland has welcomed around one million refugees from Ukraine, some of whom have directly experienced or witnessed international crimes. On November 13, 2024, a conference organized by the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and the Sunflowers Foundation, under the patronage of the Ministry of Justice, will address the challenges of building an effective system for prosecuting international crimes in Poland and providing support to victims and survivors.
Read more on Prawo.pl:
https://www.prawo.pl/prawnicy-sady/hfpc-fundacja-sunflowers-i-ms-rozpoczynaja-dyskusje-o-jurysdykcji-uniwersalnej-w-polsce,529899.html
Prof. Hanna Kuczyńska’s Speech at 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference
On the 1st of October 2024 Prof. Hanna Kuczyńska, member of the Project Sunflowers Executive Board took part as a speaker in the Side Event of the 2024 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference entitled: “Universal jurisdiction: the path to justice and solidarity in finding and prosecuting international criminals” organized by Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group; Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and Public Interest Journalism Lab.
This side-event explored how exercise of universal jurisdiction by participating States in cases related to torture and other crimes committed in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine can contribute to combating impunity for perpetrators in the wider OSCE region. Universal jurisdiction is an essential tool of international justice. The exercise of universal jurisdiction by domestic courts is especially relevant in situations where such crimes are committed systematically or on a large and systematic scale, and the justice system of the State on whose territory atrocities were committed cannot reasonably be expected to successfully investigate and prosecute all such crimes. Most importantly, universal jurisdiction helps ensure that all survivors of torture and other international crimes can seek the right to truth, justice and reparation.