IAP statement regarding the events in Ukraine and the Russian Federation

The International Association of Prosecutors joins the international community in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ordered by the President of the Russian Federation. Read the full statement here. 

The International Association of Prosecutors – a global association represented by prosecution services, associations of prosecutors and individual prosecutors in over 170 countries – joins the international community in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ordered by the President of the Russian Federation.

This act violates both Ukraine’s sovereignty and international law. A state is prohibited from the use or threat of force against another state unless acting in self-defence or acting pursuant to a United Nations Security Council resolution. Neither of these two exceptions is applicable to Russia’s actions against Ukraine.

Further, the International Association of Prosecutors expresses deep concern at the President of the Russian Federation’s allegations of lack of independence and corruption on the part of Ukraine’s investigators, prosecutors, and judges. Both the prosecution services of Ukraine and the Russian Federation are organisational members of the International Association of Prosecutors, and both have played a significant role in the development of the worldwide community of prosecutors. Any attempt to subvert the work of independent investigators, prosecutors and judges is intolerable and the fundamental principles of the rule of law must be safeguarded at all costs.

The International Association of Prosecutors implores the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation to exhort his government to end the threats posed by Russian action to the civilian population of Ukraine in general and to its prosecutors and their families in particular.

In our effort to strengthen global standards, build capacity and improve international co-operation amongst prosecutors, the International Association of Prosecutors will continue to develop its network of regional offices. In the meantime, the International Association of Prosecutors has today decided to suspend the operation of the regional office in St Petersburg with immediate effect because of the Russian Federations actions in Ukraine.

The Hague, 1 March 2022