As a judge at the Supreme Court of Ukraine, the full-scale start of hostilities with Russia also forced him to exchange the sword of justice for an assault rifle. Judges, he will readily admit, do not usually go to war. But he characterized the choice before him and his country as “existential”. “It’s the choice I had to make,” Misenko told CBC News in an interview Monday on the sidelines of an international justice conference in Ottawa. “It is an honor and a privilege to protect my country in any way I can.” At first he was a volunteer reserve in the territorial battalions of the army, but afterwards became a full member of the regular force. Mishchenko, a married father of three, serves as an infantry officer. a second lieutenant, with a fighting platoon; Where he once weighed both sides of an argument, Mishchenko, 40, said he now better appreciates the concept of justice given the sacrifices he’s seen — both among soldiers and civilians. “The rule of law is not just words for us. It has some meaning,” Mishchenko said. “Well, we put something to those words.”
“They are completely destroyed”
His unit saw action outside Kyiv as Russian forces were pushed back last spring, and in the country’s northeast, where Ukrainian forces liberated vast swaths of territory this summer, including the heavily-fought town of Izium. “Many villages, small towns, there are [only] on the map now,” he said. “They are completely destroyed. So… it’s just an empty land, with bomb holes, and everything is destroyed and you can only see it on the map.” As he meets people amid the ruins of formerly occupied lands, he said he tries to reassure them that they will rebuild, recognizing that the loved ones they have lost can never be replaced. Mishchenko is among four high court judges and 15 high court clerks who have volunteered for front-line duties. At the lower court level, 60 judges and 311 clerks are listed. Ukrainian Chief Justice Vsevolod Kniaziev addresses the International Organization for Judicial Training conference in Ottawa on Monday. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) The country’s chief justice, Vsevolod Kniaziev, spoke about Ukrainian judges in the occupied territories who have faced prosecution, arrest and threats if they do not join the ranks of Russian judges. At least three judges – all women – have been killed since last winter – two in a rocket attack on Odessa last July, the other shot by Russian troops as she tried to flee the city of Chernihiv in March. There was, Kniaziev said, a brief glimmer of hope two weeks ago when a judge from the occupied city of Mariupol, who was abducted from the side of the road last March by Russian-backed paramilitary forces, was released in a prisoner exchange . Yulia Matveyeva – a district court judge – was targeted because of her position, he added. “I am so proud of my colleague and thank her for her courage, endurance and faith [her] the judge’s oath, [which] showed,” Kniaziev said.
Courts continue to function
Kniaziev told the National Judicial Institute of Canada (NJI) conference that the wheels of justice continue to turn in Ukraine, despite heavy fighting in the south and east of the country and despite daily missile attacks, saying more than three million court decisions. since the beginning of major hostilities last February. Eighty-five courthouses (11 percent of the country’s total) have been damaged or destroyed in the fighting, and 95 appeals and local courts are unable to administer justice due to conditions. “Some of them — 75 [of the] facilities or judicial institutions were damaged — broken windows, damaged facades — or buildings, damaged courtrooms,” Kniaziev said, adding that some buildings “have no drainage, no electricity, etc.” And then buildings in the newly liberated area showed signs of being “looted by Russian troops — stolen computers, servers, video conferencing systems, furniture.” Watch: Justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine is on the front lines fighting against Russia:
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine is on the front lines fighting against Russia
Ivan Mishchenko, a judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, has taken up arms for the country’s military defense against Russia. Ukraine compensated for the chaos—sort of—by redrawing jurisdictional boundaries. He also has to deal with courts and judges trapped on the other side of Russian lines, Knyaziev said. Speaking before the conference, along with Canada’s Chief Justice Richard Wager, Knyaziev issued a political message, calling on Canada to ensure that money from seized Russian assets is used to rebuild its country. “Ukraine is fighting for democracy and [has become] an outpost of democratic values, an outpost for the protection of the rule of law in Europe but also of Western civilization. Ukraine is fighting for its Euro-Atlantic option and we are paying dearly,” Kniaziev said. “What I would like to ask of Canada and Canadians is to … adopt a mechanism … such as seizing property and assets of the Russian Federation and making it possible to recover damages in Ukraine, using the assets evidence and property located outside of Russia, because we know that Russia will not pay anything for the restoration and reconstruction in Ukraine.” Canada has frozen about $122 million in Russian assets. Despite giving itself the power to “seize and dispose of assets” belonging to individuals and entities on Canada’s sanctions list, the federal government has yet to do so.
