The Reckoning Project | Documenting War Crimes for International Justice

On April 15th, The Reckoning Project, (TRP) together with the victim present in Buenos Aires, submitted a criminal complaint to the Argentine Federal Judiciary.

The complaint makes a request to the Federal Court to investigate torture inflicted against Mr M (anonymized for security reasons) by identified and unidentified Russian officials and affiliated individuals, for committing and otherwise facilitating torture. This is the first-ever Ukrainian torture complaint filed in Argentina.

The evidence provided by Mr M in the complaint demonstrates practices of torture by electrocution in detention at the hands of Russian individuals in a town that is occupied by Russian forces. His evidence was corroborated by findings of international organizations, including the United Nations, that documented similar instances of torture upon other individuals in the same facility.

Mr M's torture was materially assisted by the presence and operation of Russian-linked entities and those in charge therein.

"I am one of many. So many other people I know were subjected to even worse treatment. I want to tell the world about our pain. These practices continue to happen in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia."

— Mr M, torture survivor

The Constitution of Argentina allows its courts, on the basis of universal jurisdiction, to try international crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, irrespective of where they took place. Over the years, Argentina has taken a leading role in the fight against impunity both domestically and internationally, including by opening investigations under the principle of universal jurisdiction arising from different country contexts.

Prior to filing the complaint in February and March 2024, Nataliya Gumenyuk and Tsvetelina van Benthem, a University of Oxford legal scholar and Senior Legal Advisor at TRP, traveled to Argentina to meet government officials, representatives of human rights and criminal justice organizations, and to learn from their experience in the pursuit of accountability for international crimes committed during the civic-military dictatorship.

During his visit to Buenos Aires Mr M met Argentinian survivors. Today, outside the Federal Court, Mr M concluded:

"In Argentina, I understood that justice is a long path, and it is possible when people unite. I met people who went through the horrors of torture, but who never gave up. Because people here understood my pain, I hope the chance for accountability exists."

— Mr M, outside Federal Court

The story was uncovered today by Reuters. The documentary about the initiative is being produced by The Reckoning Project.

For media or other inquiries, contact: Olivia Mozdzierz, Director of Outreach
Email: olivia@thereckoningproject.com

Torture in Occupied Ukraine: The Reckoning Project files a criminal complaint in Republic of Argentina

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