Statement of the Organisers of the Nuremberg Moot Court 2022 concerning the current situation in Ukraine

 

We strongly condemn the lawless and violent aggression of the Russian President who started a war, which forms the utmost disregard of the Nuremberg Principles and we express our strongest disdain regarding the use of any military force, in particular against the civilian population, which amounts to war crimes.

We express our full solidarity with the population of Ukraine and the Ukrainian student teams who registered for the 2022 edition of the Nuremberg Moot Court. These teams are right now massively affected by the violent aggression led against Ukraine.

Over the last years, teams from more than 100 countries, including teams from both Russia and Ukraine, have taken part in the Nuremberg Moot Court with great enthusiasm. It was always an immense pleasure to work with young students who were full of hope and belief in international law.
 
The Nuremberg Moot Court competition is for all students and teams from all countries that believe in the Nuremberg Principles. In these times of contestation, we need to stand together and promote the Nuremberg Principles everywhere in the belief that in the end reason will prevail over power. We invite all students and teams who support and are willing to apply the Nuremberg Principles to participate in the Nuremberg Moot Court 2022 and hope to bring strength to all like-minded persons and teams, particularly in Ukraine and Russia. We aim at preparing young people to be able to prosecute war crimes, and other serious crimes, being currently committed in Ukraine, at a later stage!

We need to work for the future and insist together that impunity for aggression and heinous crimes is unacceptable.
 
Klaus Rackwitz, Director International Nuremberg Principles Academy
Professor Christoph Safferling, Director International Criminal Law Unit