Murders of civilians, bombings of schools and hospitals, rapes, kidnappings… Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been accused by many countries, media and NGOs of having committed war crimes. The latest denunciation concerns the discovery of a large number of corpses of civilians in the town of Boutcha, near kyiv, after the departure of the Russian army.
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According to the mayor of this commune, at least 280 people were buried by Ukrainians in mass graves, but Russia categorically rejects these accusations. In an attempt to collect evidence and establish responsibilities, observers have been investigating on the ground since the beginning of the conflict. Researcher with the Crisis and Conflict Division of Human Rights Watch, Jonathan Pedneault went to Ukraine at the beginning of March. He notably worked in Lviv, Mariupol and Chernihiv.
Franceinfo: What is the work of a crisis researcher at Human Rights Watch?
Jonathan Pedneault: My mission consists of documenting the conduct of actors in a conflict, in this case the accusations of war crimes against Russia in Ukraine. I was trained in investigation methods, ethical issues, witness identification, digital evidence collection, image verification or satellite analysis.
I left for Ukraine in early March with three other people from Human Rights Watch. At the beginning, the front line was very dynamic and there was a lot of uncertainty about the evolution of the conflict. It was a logistical and security headache to know where we could go. It was also very cold, it had been a long time since I had worked on a conflict where it was so cold.
“As always, we arrive prepared for any eventuality. We have bulletproof vests, satellite phones, a driver, a translator… We stay in communication with our office and local NGOs.”
Jonathan Pedneault, researcher at Human Rights Watchat franceinfo
We were working on several charges at the same time, including the use of cluster bombs in Kharkiv and the shelling of civilian buildings in Mariupol. We met people who had taken refuge in basements in this city and who lived in atrocious conditions, forced to melt snow to drink. It was the beginning of the war, people were in shock. Many had never experienced the bombardments and were trying to reach the west of the country or Europe.
What are your main sources and how do you cross-check your information?
We work on the basis of information we receive from the media, from witnesses on the spot, from other NGOs. For example, when we receive a video of a bombardment, we go back to the neighborhood concerned. We try to find residents, we ask them questions to check if they were in the area at the time of the incident, to find out what they saw, or not saw. Often, they are asked to establish a chronology, to see if it is credible.
We do not call for testimonies, we try to be discreet on the ground because, as in any armed conflict, there is a lot of propaganda, political actors who try to direct our research for their interests. It is also to protect us.
“We use the ‘domino method’. A person we meet puts us in contact with other people and so on.”
Jonathan Pedneault, researcher at Human Rights Watchat franceinfo
To properly define the legality or illegality of acts committed, specific questions are asked: was there a military target in the area? What type of weapons were used? Were there factories nearby? We ask people if they have photos, videos, to identify as many clues as possible. Certain types of crimes, such as rape, are very hard to verify, and we mainly rely on witness statements. It is moreover a testimony which enabled us to identify several repeated rapes on a woman, in our last report.
As we cannot do everything remotely, Human Rights Watch has a laboratory of analysts who cross-check and verify information using online tools. open-source. We can send them pictures or videos that they will check with satellite images, maps, their knowledge of weapons… They are really overwhelmed at the moment. We are also working with other colleagues who have traveled to the borders of Ukraine, to the Czech Republic, to Moldova, to talk to refugees who have allegedly witnessed things.
What will your investigations be used for afterwards?
We do not work for jurisdictions or states, but our work may be used by different courts in their own investigations. Our primary objective is to advocate, to alert public opinion in the hope of changing the course of things, and to point out the responsibilities of each other. Since the start of the war, we have successfully documented the use of cluster bombs in Kharkiv, unlawful attacks on civilians in Mariupol and Chernihiv, hospital bombings, rapes, and military abuses Russian.
The information we collect is primarily for Human Rights Watch. We keep all the evidence. It has happened that some of our researchers have been called as witnesses during trials, or that some of our witnesses have been solicited, but we do everything to ensure their confidentiality and protection. I have worked in a conflict zone since I was 17. I have become accustomed to facing danger because the work is worth it. I will never be as exposed or affected as the civilian populations I meet.