DICKINSON LAW PROFESSOR DERMOT GROOME OFFERS RESOURCES ON INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

Groome, former war crimes prosecutor for the UN, creates new “Justice for Ukraine” website

March 2022 — Penn State Dickinson Law Professor Dermot Groome, a former war crimes prosecutor for the United Nations, has launched Justice for Ukraine, a webpage offering resources to support the work of prosecutors and human rights investigators in Ukraine as they gather and preserve evidence of international crimes.

An expert in the field of war crimes, Groome has collected resources and information to educate the public about international humanitarian law, specifically related to the protection of civilians during armed conflict.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has reported that 16,000 foreigners have volunteered to fight in Ukraine in a “Foreign Legion” that has been created to defend Ukrainians against the invasion by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Given this fact, Groome said his intention is to consolidate resources for people who want to learn more about the obligations of foreign volunteers in any conflict under international law. International law — in particular, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 — governs the conduct of hostilities and establishes a set of protections for civilians present in areas of armed conflict, Groome said.

Site resources include:

  • An informational video explaining the laws and customs of war, where the public can learn about the obligations of volunteers during armed conflict under international law.
  • A series of informational videos about international crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes.
  • A series of informational videos on investigating senior military and political leaders for international crimes.
  • A link to Groome’s acclaimed book, “The Handbook of Human Rights Investigation” which can be downloaded as a PDF at no cost.

In addition, Groome has created a series of videos for prosecutors and human-rights investigators working to gather evidence of international crimes in Ukraine. The series, titled “Short Course in International Criminal Law and Investigation,” includes the following modules:

  • Introduction to International Crimes
  • Crimes against Humanity
  • War Crimes
  • Underlying Crimes
  • Investigating Senior Military and Political leaders (part 1)
  • Investigating Senior Military and Political leaders (part 2)
  • Individual Criminal Responsibility
  • Command or Superior Responsibility