Law & Criminology

Following on from the publication of the protocol, Dr Klinkner is now leading a project that is helping to document and catalogue the mass graves reported in Ukraine, supported by Lecturer in Law Jonathan Whittle and two LLM Public International Law students. They will conduct real-time open-source documenting of mass graves from media outlets, civil society research and official statements, along with information around reported victim numbers, any alleged disturbances of the graves, and the protections in place.

The work is part of a wider project, MaGMap, which has been funded by the Leverhulme Trust. At present there is no system of global record-keeping of the number of mass graves or the victims in them. Dr Klinkner, Dr Smith and Rebecca Harris at BU are leading MaGMap, and will produce a tool to assist decision making in mapping as an essential first step towards investigation.

The innovative work is a key part of securing justice for victims who are likely to be civilians who were killed unlawfully in armed conflict. It will bring those responsible to justice, and help families secure some degree of closure after the most harrowing experiences imaginable.