[Launch] Specialised Judicial Training Series for Ukrainian Courts (3rd edition) on Civilian Detention-Related Crimes: Qualification, Evidence and Judicial Reasoning in Ukrainian Cases
Published 15 April 2026
Photo by Albert Stoynov on Unsplash
This spring, the T.M.C. Asser Institute, together with the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJ), will launch the 3rd edition of the Specialised Judicial Training Series for the Ukrainian Judiciary. This initiative is delivered under the Knowledge Hub on International Criminal Law for the Ukrainian Judiciary, which aims to support sustained judicial engagement with international criminal law. This 3rd edition of the Specialised Judicial Training Series for the Ukrainian Judiciary builds on two previous editions (in 2024 and 2025) of trainings focused on strengthening the capacity of Ukrainian judges, legal assistants and other court staff in the process of adjudication of international crimes in Ukraine.
The present 2026 edition continues this line of work, while narrowing the substantive focus to civilian detention-related international crimes. This thematic choice reflects developments in domestic judicial practice, where a significant number of cases concern conduct linked to civilian detention, including detention conditions, ill-treatment, torture, sexual violence and unlawful deprivation of liberty. It also reflects consistent reporting by international and domestic organisations, indicating that civilian detention and associated abuses remain a recurring feature of the criminality of the conflict. Particular emphasis is also placed on evidentiary reasoning, including witness testimony, forensic and medical documentation, OSINT and questions of individual and superior responsibility.
The training series will consist of seven online sessions held between 1 May to 10 June, followed by an assessment which will be held on 17 June. It will cover the following topics:
- Qualification of War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity and other Core Legal Concepts;
- Unlawful Detention and Enforced Disappearance;
- Torture and Ill-treatment in Detention Settings;
- Sexual Violence in Detention Settings;
- Assessment of Witness Testimony, Forensic/Medical Documentation
- Handling of Digital Evidence;
- Modes of Liability and Attribution in Detention-Related Cases.
Following an online evaluation, the selected participants will be able to take part in a two-day in-person Mock Trial (9-10 July 2026) that will further strengthen participants’ expertise on the topics explored during the online series. It will be based on a fictional but realistic scenario involving a pattern of civilian detention-related crimes committed across multiple detention facilities operating within the same geographic area and time period. The case file will reflect how civilians were detained in different locations (including official and unofficial places of detention), under comparable conditions and practices, allowing participants to assess detention not as an isolated incident but as a recurrent and organised pattern of conduct.
Through experiential learning, this training series aims to strengthen participants’ ability to qualify conduct, assess credibility and linkage evidence, and determine individual and superior responsibility within complex patterns of abuse amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. It will allow participants to learn from and exchange insights with international and national experts and colleagues.
More information:
The training series will be led by Gabriela Radu, Researcher at the Asser Institute (g.radu@asser.nl). For questions or further information about the Specialised Judicial Training Series, please contact us at KnowledgeHub@Asser.nl. The full Programme can be accessed by clicking on this icon:
Upon successful completion of the course and online evaluation, participants will be awarded Certificates of Completion in partnership with the National School of Judges.
About this project:
The training series is a part of the ‘Restoring Dignity and Justice in Ukraine' programme, focusing on advancing accountability for international crimes committed in Ukraine. The programme is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.