JustConf2023: Feel the Justice

JustConf2023: Feel the Justice - Just Group

United by the aim and commitment to develop criminal justice, to level up the thinking behind it with ideas and vision, to strengthen the environment of practitioners – this is all about the speakers, participants, organizers and partners of JustConf2023: Feel the Justice.

On November 30, 2023, we organized the fourth conference, which has already become a traditional platform for those who are crazy about criminal justice, share the values and approaches of JustGroup and are ready to pave the way for transformations so that the right to justice is there.

After the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation of Ukraine, the criminal justice system changed. It faced new challenges: documentation and investigation of international crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine, traumatic working conditions for investigators and prosecutors who directly investigate these crimes, new types of crimes and changes in prioritization, cooperation with the International Criminal Court and international experts, consideration by national courts of cases on collaborative activities and war crimes. We organized JustConf2023 as a space to discuss ideas and solutions that would help overcome these challenges and bring our victory closer.

“We want to talk about criminal justice in the language of ideas and the language of meanings. This is where we give voice to the people who are changing the system right now. And they have the opportunity to voice their ideas and share the meanings which they work with. The time is now, when criminal justice is struggling with all the challenges of war, it is definitely an opportunity for strengthening and development, an opportunity for search and discovery. And it is valuable for all of us that we use this search and discoveries . And to increase the capacity of criminal justice and its people,” says Vasylyna Yavorska, leader of JustGroup.

Like in previous years, we did not just organize an event with invited experts, but gave everyone an opportunity to become a speaker and pitch their ideas, share their vision and tools for solving common problems. According to the results of the open competition, eleven ideas voiced from the stage of JustConf2023 were selected, notably:

  • Iryna Hlushchenkova, JustGroup consultant, trainer , facilitator, about developing sustainability in the criminal justice system;
  • Khrystyna Kit, lawyer, head of the Association of Women Lawyers of Ukraine JurFem, on the implementation of survivor-oriented approaches in the investigation of cases of sexual violence;
  • Ihor Chaikin, judge of the Zhovtnevyi District Court of Kryvyi Rih, about the improvement of the jury trial in Ukraine;
  • Olena Balzhik, judge of the Izmail city-district court of Odesa region, about the human-centered approach in the criminal process;
  • Anastasia Serbina, lawyer, founder of the AC Training Group, about the need to change the legislation that provides for responsibility for collaborative activities;
  • Nazar Kulchytskyi, lawyer, chair of Nazar Kulchytskyi and Partners attorneys association, on speeding up court proceedings;
  • Denys Hiulmahomedov, Deputy Director of NABU, on digitalization of criminal proceedings;
  • Marharyta Sokorenko, Commissioner for ECtHR, on the importance of the investigation in accordance with the standards of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights;
  • Vira Mykhaylenko, Head of the High Anti-Corruption Court, on ethics in criminal proceedings;
  • Olesia Voloshyna, Deputy Head of the Department for the Protection of Children’s Interests and Combating Domestic Violence of thePGO, about the child-centered criminal process;
  • Yurii Bielousov, Head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Conditions of Armed Conflict, PGO, about criminal justice in conditions of war, opportunities, challenges and key values.

All video recordings of the performances will be available on the YouTube channel here. You can briefly read about each idea in the post-release of the information partner of the event – Yurydychna Gazeta.

We believe that it is critical to unite the efforts of international organizations around the development of professional communities for criminal justice . We thank our partners from UNDP in Ukraine and the Government of Japan, the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative, the Office of the Council of Europe in Ukraine, the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine and the EU Project Pravo-Justice for supporting the JustConf platform, which unites brave, persistent professionals who strive for quality changes and are committed to ensure that these changes are permanent and that justice has a chance!

This year, the event was also supported by partner institutions and bar associations, notably: the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Supreme Court and the High Anti-Corruption Court, as well as Nazar Kulchytskyi and Partners attorneys association and Miller Law Firm. We thank everyone who supported the implementation of JustConf2023: Feel the Justice for their time, resources, energy, and making this day full of meaning, ideas and warmth!

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the event through a short video!

Ще історії