Russian crimes against Ukrainian culture are evidence of the Russian Federation’s genocidal intent. The dehumanization of Ukrainians, the persecution of the Ukrainian language, the destruction of museums and archives, and the replacement of historical narratives in occupied territories are all elements of a systematic policy aimed at destroying Ukraine.

These crimes require both thorough documentation and proper legal qualification, because high-quality documentation is a prerequisite for bringing perpetrators to justice in court. The panel discussion will focus on the challenge of proving genocidal intent: the specific nature of documenting crimes against culture as a component of genocide, and the role of different actors — civil society, journalists, and documentarians — in this process.

We will also discuss how civil society shapes the demand for justice and what tools Ukraine uses to communicate its position internationally. In addition, we will examine how materials produced by journalists and documentary filmmakers are transformed into legal evidence, how the media interacts with judicial bodies, and what happens to these testimonies later within criminal proceedings.

Speakers:

• Olha Sahaidak, Chair of the Board of the Coalition of Cultural Actors, cultural manager, and co-founder of Dofa.fund;

• Daryna Pidhorna, lawyer and analyst at the Raphael Lemkin Society;

• Olha Chervakova, GR Director of Suspilne;

• Viacheslav Mavrychev, Editor-in-Chief of Suspilne Kharkiv.

Moderator:
Nataliia Popudribko, journalist and communications manager at the Coalition of Cultural Actors.

Organisers:
Raphael Lemkin Society, Coalition of Cultural Actors, and NGO Docudays.