On June 30, 2026, Kyiv hosted the Fifth International Forum of the Crimea Platform Expert Network. Participants discussed the de-occupation of Crimea, security in the Black Sea region, international justice, the documentation of crimes, and the protection of human rights on the temporarily occupied peninsula.
Daryna Pidhorna, a legal expert and analyst at the Raphael Lemkin Society, represented the organization at the forum. She joined the first panel discussion, “Through the Lens of Crimea: A Strategic Perspective on Effective Justice for the Gravest Crimes Committed During Russia’s War Against Ukraine.”
Panelists discussed pathways for holding Russia accountable for international crimes, the role of civil society in documenting violations, the use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools, and the challenges facing both international and domestic justice systems.
Daryna emphasized that traditional justice mechanisms often focus primarily on holding senior political and military leaders accountable, while the experiences and needs of victims may receive too little attention.
“Too often, this perspective overlooks the very people against whom these violations are committed—the victims themselves. They need redress and recognition of their suffering, not only through judicial mechanisms. We still aim to hold accountable those at the highest levels of political leadership. Yet the crimes on the ground are committed by entirely different people,” Daryna Pidhorna noted.
She emphasized that victims need more than judicial protection: they also need acknowledgment of their suffering, meaningful redress, and a broader restoration of justice. In addressing international crimes, she said, it is essential not to lose sight of the individuals and communities targeted by those crimes.
The panel also featured representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group, Project Exped Justice, human rights organizations, and the expert community. The discussion covered the documentation of crimes committed on the occupied peninsula, international cooperation to hold perpetrators accountable, the role of civil society organizations in collecting evidence, and the continued development of international justice mechanisms.
The forum brought together representatives of the Ukrainian government, the diplomatic corps, international think tanks, human rights organizations, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, and the expert community. At least 146 participants attended, including representatives from 22 countries.
The forum was organized by the Crimea Platform Expert Network with support from the Crimea Platform Office, the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People.
Sources: Crimean Human Rights Group and Zmina