Alex Trelinski
SPAIN is sending police medical experts to Ukraine to investigate possible war crimes committed by Russian invaders.
The Ministry of Justice has made available 29 forensic and criminal investigators to assist the International Criminal Court(ICC) and Ukraine Prosecutor’s Office in their enquiries.
10 autopsy specialists will also go to Ukraine to carry out assessments.
Justice Minister, Pilar Llop, said: “I’m proud that the ICC and the Ukrainians have placed their trust in these Spanish professionals.”
The team is comprised of experts from the Institutes of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMLCF) in Caceres, Cantabria, La Rioja, Madrid, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Huelva, Valladolid, Salamanca, Badajoz, Granada, Alicante, Galicia, Murcia and Catalunya.
More specialists from other IMLCF bases in Spain are expected to join the group over the next few days.
Facilities at the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences will be used to analyse samples and traces collected.
Besides the gathering and processing of physical evidence, victims and witnesses will be interviewed over any Russian involvement in sexual crimes, gender violence, and crimes against children.
The Justice Ministry said both the number of experts and the institutes involved ‘may be increased’, as different needs and priorities could be identified during the forthcoming work in Ukraine.
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