The Verkhovna Rada has adopted a bill on punishment for war crimes.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted Draft Law No. 2689 “On Amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine regarding the implementation of norms of international criminal and humanitarian law.” In the second reading, it was supported by 248 members of parliament.

The law is aimed at ensuring the full implementation of the provisions of international criminal and humanitarian law concerning criminal prosecution for international crimes (genocide, the crime of aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes).

“The situation as a result of which Ukraine is currently deprived of the ability to exercise effective control over part of its territory temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation (the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions) is qualified as an international armed conflict. In such circumstances, the norms of international humanitarian law apply, serious violations of which are recognized as international crimes, primarily war crimes,” the explanatory note to the draft law states (https://bit.ly/343D1vv).

It is noted that, in addition to war crimes committed in the occupied territories, crimes against humanity are also being committed. However, those responsible have largely managed to avoid accountability, including due to the inconsistency of Ukraine’s criminal legislation with the provisions of international criminal and humanitarian law. The Criminal Code simply did not provide for liability for crimes against humanity or for war crimes that constitute violations of customary, rather than treaty-based, international humanitarian law.

The adoption of this law is an extremely important step for Ukraine, as international crimes are not subject to any statute of limitations.