On 4th and 5th December 2023, the Expert Workshop on War Crimes took place in Zagreb, Croatia. The event, hosted by the Judicial Academy of Croatia, gathered 12 experts from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine.
The workshop focused on exchanges of practical advice on topics like:
- Opening a case on war crimes: how, in which conditions, who should press charges?
- Conducting criminal proceedings in absentia – issues and challenges;
- Criminal proceedings and safeguards to be respected: challenges in practice
- Security of criminal proceedings and hearings:
- Evidence collection: how to better document war crimes cases; Collection of evidence in places where is too difficult to reach
- Restraint measures: pre-trial detention during prosecution and court hearings;
- Witness hearings: Interrogation of victims in court and during pre-trial investigations
The workshop aimed at offering a platform for the practitioners from the three countries to exchange on best practices, challenges and lessons learned, representing a unique type of event where experts were able to interact directly on concrete cases.
EJTN thanks the Judicial Academy of Croatia for their support, as well as to the experts attending this workshop.
EJTN reiterates its support to the Ukrainian judiciary and will continue its efforts in promoting rule of law and necessary knowledge to judges and prosecutors even in times of war.
