Human Rights Group Calls for Continued Focus on Special Tribunal to Address Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine

The establishment of a Special Tribunal to prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine must remain an international priority, according to a new report by the human rights organization Justice and Accountability for Ukraine (JAFUA) published on February 27.

The report asserts that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine constitutes a crime of aggression under international law and that ensuring accountability is essential to prevent future violations. It warns that impunity for such actions could embolden further breaches of global legal norms.

The document also criticizes what it describes as a growing inclination among some international actors to pursue “peace at any price,” arguing that such compromises legitimize aggression and set a dangerous precedent. It points to the Rome Statute, which defines the crime of aggression and provides a legal foundation for prosecution.

Efforts to establish the Special Tribunal are advancing through the “Key Working Group” and the Council of Europe. The working group, which includes representatives from Ukraine and more than 40 countries, is focused on designing the tribunal’s legal, operational, and structural framework while securing broad international support.

Other states, including members of the G7 and the Global South, could also join the initiative, strengthening its legitimacy. However, with the United States unlikely to participate, the report underscores the critical role of European leadership in advancing the tribunal.

“Holding Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine is not only a legal and political necessity but also a moral obligation,” the JAFUA report states. “This is essential not just for Ukraine but for the entire world, which depends on the rule of international law.” JAFUA underlines.

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Calls for the creation of a Special Tribunal first emerged in March 2022, when a group of politicians and experts signed a joint declaration urging accountability for Russia’s leadership. The following month, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe endorsed the idea of an ad hoc tribunal. Since then, momentum behind the initiative has continued to grow.

A key symbolic step came with a United Nations General Assembly vote, in which 141 member states backed resolution ES-11/1 condemning Russia’s invasion and demanding a full withdrawal of its forces.

“The rule of international law will prevail over the opportunistic statements of politicians driven by their own interests,” said Tetiana Mulesa, Director of JAFUA. “The international community and the law stand united against the crime of aggression, which means that justice will ultimately prevail. Justice is inevitable in the face of history, and we are here to support it.”

Earlier, dozens of diplomats staged a coordinated walkout during Russia’s speech at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, marking three years since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.