On 13 October 2022, the Council of Europe (CoE), in cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG), organised an online expert discussion on the applicable standards under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to trials in absentia as well as peculiarities of trials in absentia in war-related criminal proceedings in Ukraine. The event brought together members of the CoE Expert Advisory Group to the OPG – Ms Nona Tsotsoria, Mr Jeremy McBride, and Mr James Johnston, and the prosecutors from the War Crimes Department of the OPG.

The event was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Human Rights Compliant Criminal Justice System in Ukraine”, which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine 2018-2022.