The Panel
The International Advisory Panel (“the Panel” and “IAP”) was constituted by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to oversee that the investigations into the violent incidents which took place in Ukraine from 30 November 2013 onwards and in Odesa on 2 May 2014 met all the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.
IAP Chairman
former President of the European Court of Human Rights
IAP Member
former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights
IAP Member
Member of the Kharkiv Regional Council, former prosecutor.
The Panel will operate in accordance with its mandate. The mandate was sent by letter of 3 April 2014 from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to the Prime Minister of Ukraine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in his response dated 1 May 2014, reiterated that the Government of Ukraine welcomed the composition of the Panel and undertook to facilitate the Panel’s work.
In September 2014, in a letter sent to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to the Council of Europe confirmed the Ukrainian Government’s acceptance that the violent events of 2 May 2014 in Odesa should also be covered by the Panel’s Mandate.
The subject of the Panel’s inquiries is events related to the Maidan demonstrations in Kyiv from 30 November 2013 to 21 February 2014 (“the Maidan demonstrations”). Moreover, the Panel will principally enquire into the investigation of violent acts committed by any person during four periods of the Maidan demonstrations (“the relevant incidents”): early in the morning of 30 November, 1 December 2013, 19-22 January 2014 and 18-21 February 2014.
The Panel will likewise enquire into all the investigations concerning the violent events of 2 May 2014 in Odesa.
The mandate provides that the Panel shall have full access to all relevant information and the right to request and receive any additional information as it deems necessary:
- State bodies: The Panel will exchange with a number of State bodies in order obtain information relevant to the scope of its work (Press release of 7 May 2014).
- Civil Society: The mandate also provides that civil society shall have the right to contact and communicate freely with the Panel. In order to facilitate the work of the Panel, NGOs wishing to make submissions should therefore follow the guidelines set out below and should do so prior to the deadline of 11 June 2014 (see IAP's Guidelines about NGOs submissions).
- Individuals: The function of the Panel is to oversee that the investigations into the above-described violent incidents meet all the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. It is not therefore tasked with carrying out investigations itself. Consequently, it will not accept or respond to individual complaints about violent acts which should be forwarded to the competent authorities.
At the end of its mission, the IAP will report on its findings and, should it consider necessary, it will also report on an interim basis. The IAP would make it clear that it does not intend to reveal, in the course of its work or reporting, any confidential or personal information submitted to it.