Europe's Criminal Justice Agency Backs Investigation Of Alleged War Crimes During Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

 March 28, 2022

The Eurojust building at The Hague in the Netherlands. (file photo)

Eurojust, Europe's agency for criminal justice cooperation, has said it would support a joint investigation team (JIT) that was announced last week to probe allegations of war crimes in Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine signed an agreement last week to set up a team to enable the exchange of information and the investigation of suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Participation in the team may be extended to other EU member states, third countries or other third parties, Eurojust said in a statement issued on March 28, which did not mention Russia.

"The main aim of the JIT is to support the gathering of evidence and its swift and secure exchange between partners, as well as the transmission of information and evidence," Eurojust said.

Eurojust said it would provide legal and technical assistance and support evidence gathering and sharing.

The team will also coordinate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world's permanent war crimes tribunal, which opened its own investigation in Ukraine days after Russia's invasion on February 24.

With reporting by Reuters

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-war-crimes-ukraine-eurojust/31774384.html