Past Work

This page contains information about work that was completed by CFJ prior to 2025. For more information on our current programs and events, read more about TrialWatch, Waging Justice for Women and The Albies.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, CFJ worked to gather evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity, helping to trigger criminal prosecutions and bring justice to the survivors.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice's team on the ground in Ukraine

CFJ documented indiscriminate attacks that killed civilians and destroyed civilian objects, as well as violations committed by Russian armed forces, during the occupation of Ukrainian towns and villages, including executions, enforced disappearances, torture, sexual violence, looting and other crimes.

The Docket’s team on the ground in Ukraine worked with local and international partners to gather evidence and identify survivors and witnesses of these crimes. Our experts worked to collect, store, and analyze open-source evidence, including satellite imagery, video, photo and audio materials, and social media content.

The Docket worked on behalf of survivors to help trigger prosecutions of the perpetrators of international crimes committed in Ukraine in multiple countries around the world under the principle of universal jurisdiction. We represent and support survivors to ensure their meaningful participation in the criminal justice process.

Local residents ride bicycles past flattened civilian cars in Ukraine

We focused on the following patterns of violations:

  • Attacks with the use of explosive weapons, cluster munitions, thermobaric weapons, and other indiscriminate means of warfare when used in densely populated areas.
  • Violations by Russian ground forces, including executions, enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual violence.
  • Sieges of cities and towns.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice team on the ground in Ukraine

On October 26, 2023, The Docket filed three cases with German federal prosecutors, requesting an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine. The organization submitted detailed dossiers against the alleged perpetrators and is representing 16 survivors and families of victims. One of the cases was filed jointly with CFJ’s long-standing partner, Ukrainian NGO Truth Hounds.

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The Docket team on the ground in Ukraine

Universal Jurisdiction

Under the principle of universal jurisdiction, perpetrators of the most serious international crimes - including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity - can be investigated and prosecuted in foreign national jurisdictions even when the crime did not occur there.

The Docket carried out extensive research to identify countries where cases can be brought on behalf of Ukrainian survivors under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

These efforts culminated in our 2023 launch of the Justice Beyond Borders (JBB) Project

JBB is an online mapping tool that shows how existing laws around the world can be used to obtain justice for the most serious international crimes. In countries where such laws exist, we have been working to help trigger and support criminal investigations and represent survivors in their pursuit of justice.