International criminal justice is not just a trial and a verdict. It is a whole system of efforts by various actors that begins long before the accused enters the courtroom: from documenting crimes to international advocacy, from collecting testimonies to developing national mechanisms for prosecuting perpetrators, from protecting and supporting victims to ensuring their access to compensation and a sense of justice.

Society must understand: there is no such thing as immediate justice when it comes to international crimes. Investigating these crimes can take decades. The Nuremberg Tribunal delivered its verdict a year after the end of World War II, and some Nazi criminals are still being convicted today. The work of the tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda stretched over many years. Yet in many cases, many perpetrators were eventually brought to justice.

Despite everything already accomplished, much work still lies ahead for Ukraine and its civil society. How can a legal system be built in Ukraine to withstand the challenges of post-war justice? Should a special investigative body for international crimes be established? What should national legislation look like to ensure effective prosecution of perpetrators? How can the effectiveness of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression be guaranteed? Should we rely on the International Criminal Court, and what role might it play in the future? How can suspects or convicted individuals hiding from justice worldwide be tracked down?