Post by Universiteit van Amsterdam - Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid

🪖 War crimes are being committed in Ukraine, while legal professionals are still learning on the job. The T.M.C. Asser Instituut team is on a mission: helping Ukraine uphold its legal obligations while it fights on the battlefield. The institute provides advice on legislation and its implementation. ‘We work with people who are exhausted. Judges are working overtime to educate themselves,' says Gabrielė Chlevickaitė, Asser’s current coordinator of the Ukraine projects. ‘But we are starting to see parts of our training reflected in judgments already. We know that a year ago, there was no discussion about specific concepts, which are now mentioned in court.’ 🇺🇦 The exchange of knowledge now works both ways: because of the war, Ukraine is rapidly gaining more experience in prosecuting international crimes. Ukraine has, in a sense, become a testing ground for international criminal law, as this war raises new legal questions. Christophe Paulussen who coordinated Asser’s first Ukraine project between 2020 and 2024, stresses the importance of keeping the bigger picture in mind. 'You could quickly convict someone for a war crime, but we have to think about the quality of those judgments as well. We need to make sure they uphold international legal standards. They will determine Ukraine’s legacy outside of the battlefield.'   #LawandLegislation #LawSchool #LegalProfession #LegalEducation #InternationalLaw #WarCrimes #InternationalCriminalLaw #Ukraine #RuleOfLaw #HumanRights