Moscow Mechanism invoked at the OSCE Permanent Council to assess war crimes and crimes against humanity committed after Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 3 March, 45 states of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), including Lithuania, following bilateral consultations with Ukraine, invoked one of the OSCE’s Human Dimension instruments – the Moscow Mechanism.
The Mechanism aims to invite a mission of experts to assess possible violations of human rights and humanitarian law, also possible war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by Russia following its military aggression, enabled by Belarus, against the people of Ukraine, which began on February 24. The experts will be mandated to present all information gathered on established war crimes and crimes against humanity to relevant accountability mechanisms, as well as national, regional, or international courts or tribunals that have, or may in future have jurisdiction.
The countries invoking this OSCE’s Human Dimension instrument expressed their full support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
In support of Ukraine, all member states of the European Union, including Lithuania, joined the initiative, as did Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
The OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism has been invoked for the fifth time, the last time being in 2020 to investigate the human rights violations in Belarus in the aftermath of the presidential elections in August 2020.
Joint Statement of countries, invoking the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism.
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