On July 10, 2024, the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), Legal Action Worldwide (LAW), and Truth Hounds filed a complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Committee to read about the civilian bloodbath in Ukraine by Russia. The United Nations Human Rights Committee is an independent and capable framework that monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through its state parties.
The complaint relates to events in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, on July 14, 2022. That day, cruise missiles fired from a Russian submarine in the Black Sea hit civilian spaces in the city, adding construction and residential constructions. On that day, the UN reported that the fatal missile attack on a city more than 380 kilometers from the front line killed more than 20 people, in addition to 3 children, and injured more than a hundred more. These numbers increased as sites were searched for symptoms. of life.
The complaint was filed on behalf of 18 Ukrainian victims of a Russian missile attack that killed 29 other people and injured more than 200. The joint complaint alleges that Russia violated the right to life of all those killed during the attack on the city of Vinnytsia. on July 14, 2022, carried out as part of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
During the attack, Russia attacked the Vinnytsia grocery shopping center with 3 Kalibr missiles, which are high-precision guided weapons. Russia said the attack targeted a high-level military meeting held in one of the buildings hit by the missiles, but that most of those killed and wounded in the attack were civilians.
The joint complaint was based on evidence accumulated over two years of investigation, adding on-the-ground and open-source research conducted through CFJ and its partners, as well as in-depth legal research supported by specialized reviews from leading academics.
As CFJ, LAW, and Truth Hounds have argued, these types of attacks on densely populated urban spaces have been a constant feature of Russia’s full-scale invasion since it began in February 2022. Its investigation concluded that the Vinnytsia attack violated the right to life of civilians and citizens. army workers’ corps in accordance with General Comment 36, which states that “all killings committed as a result of an act of aggression violate [. . . ] the right to life”.
Despite the worrying findings, legal action has become complicated given the limitations of foreign humanitarian law (the law of war) and foreign criminal law. In fact, some of these attacks may be difficult to convert into war crimes, even when they cause huge civilian casualties. That is why organizations must also file a complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee would possibly obtain court cases from people who consider themselves victims of the human rights enumerated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The United Nations Human Rights Committee does not act as a court, but it can make findings of fact, rule on violations and seek effective remedies.
The joint complaint calls on the United Nations Human Rights Committee to bring justice to the families of the victims of the Vinnytsia attack by determining that Russia’s movements during this illegal attack violated the victims’ right to life and ordering the payment of reparations to the families.
The UN proposal adds to several other paths taken in the field of justice and accountability. In addition to the prosecution of war crimes in Ukrainian courts and the involvement of the International Criminal Court, civil society organizations play an active role in gathering evidence and opening proceedings. . Among other things, in October 2023, The Docket filed three court cases with German federal prosecutors, adding one along with Truth Hounds, calling for an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine. In June 2024, The Docket filed another complaint on behalf of victims of sexual violence in Austria.
As the war against Ukraine continues, projects like these offer hope for justice and accountability for those who suffer and survive Russian aggression.