The Peace and Justice Initiative condemns the Russian Federation’s unlawful invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. It is appalled by the suffering that has been unleashed on the Ukrainian people. In the face of the growing humanitarian disaster, the Peace and Justice Initiative has been on the ground at the Ukrainian border, assisting the relief operations.
The invasion and continuing attacks are an affront to the prohibition of the threat or use of armed force, enshrined in article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. They risk causing a drastic increase in violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law.
As noted by the leading United Nations Experts on Human Rights:
“The UN Charter, from which our collective work as experts on human rights flows, was created expressly to settle differences between States and to peacefully prevent armed conflict and protect the right to self-determination. By doing so, it establishes the basis for protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people.”
The Peace and Justice Initiative echoes the UN Experts’ call for the Russian Federation to immediately cease its hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. It implores all States and entities committed to the rule of law to support the ICC Prosecutor’s expeditious investigation into the situation in Ukraine.
