Keywords
martial law
armed aggression
legislative adaptation
Geneva Conventions
protection of civilians
internally displaced persons
war crimes
European integration
criminal liability
How to Cite
Abstract
The subject of this study is the process of adapting Ukrainian legislation to the standards of international humanitarian law in the context of the ongoing armed aggression by the Russian Federation and the legal regime of martial law. The object of study is the social relations arising from the application of international humanitarian law norms at the domestic level, and their impact on the Ukrainian legal system. The relevance of our topic is determined by the novelty of the armed conflict, within which Ukraine has adopted large-scale norms in parallel with the application of international humanitarian law. The formulation of such a demand on the legal system – to wage war and simultaneously reform legislation in accordance with international obligations – is an event that requires separate scholarly analysis. The methodological basis of the study comprises comparative legal, systemic-structural and formal-legal methods. The method of legal modelling is also used in formulating proposals de lege ferenda. The findings of the study highlight that Ukraine is largely fulfilling its obligations under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, with the main exceptions being “systemic gaps” in the areas of criminal liability for violations of international humanitarian law, the protection of the civilian population, and the status of internally displaced persons. The study argues that these gaps must be addressed through targeted amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the adoption of a dedicated law on cooperation with the International Criminal Court.
References
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