Preface
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) is a Norway-based, internationally oriented human rights organisation that works for states to respect and protect international human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law. We are engaged globally, but particularly in Europe and Central Asia.
The main goal of our work is to equip local human rights groups to promote human rights and document violations. We form networks to hold perpetrators accountable through legal processes, Magnitsky (targeted) sanctions, and other measures.
This report is part of a series of fact sheets, policy briefs, and reports based on the NHC and partners’ comprehensive documentation of core international crimes in Ukraine.
The aim is to present accurate accounts of war-related events and violations of international law to influence decision-makers and facilitate justice efforts. The NHC has long held the view that impunity for grave human rights crimes feeds further crimes and leads to the brutalisation of conflicts. National, transitional, and international justice is needed to overcome this legacy. However, such justice efforts are not possible without extensive and credible fact-work.
The NHC collaborates with partners to collect evidence, interview victims and witnesses, and build databases based on the I-DOC technology developed by the Centre of International Law Research and Policy Department Case Matrix Network (CILRAP-CMN).
In partnership with local and international organisations, the NHC runs documentation projects in the North Caucasus (organised as the Natalya Estemirova Documentation Centre, NEDC) in Ukraine in collaboration with the 5 AM Coalition, and in several other conflict situations with relevant local groups.
This work is conducted by the NHC Documentation and Accountability Hub (DAH) and led by Lene Wetteland.
Ana Pashalishvili drafted this report based on information collected by the Truth Hounds and from open sources. Gunnar M. Ekeløve-Slydal edited it.
This report is based on work supported by Fritt Ord, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the donors.
Berit Lindeman
Secretary General
Oslo, 14 August 2025