EU Project Pravo-Justice Supported the VII Annual International Scientific and Practical Conference on Forensic Expertise

On 10 December, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, with the support of EU Project Pravo-Justice, hosted the VII Annual International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Topical Issues of Forensic Science, Judicial and Forensic Expertise and Criminal Procedure.’

Representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the Council of Europe Office, the Ukrainian Bar Association, the Association of Private Enforcement Officers of Ukraine, leading Ukrainian and international expert institutions, as well as academics, participated in the event. The discussion focused on issues related to the development of judicial and forensic expertise, the improvement of criminal procedure, and the strengthening of interagency cooperation.

Andrii Haichenko, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, thanked international partners, especially EU Project Pravo-Justice, for their comprehensive support in developing the forensic sector and, in particular, for providing equipment that enhances its quality.

“Our experts conduct daily examinations related to war crimes, widespread human rights violations, destruction of infrastructure, and complex explosive, trace, and digital forensic examinations. This results in a unique range of practical experience unparalleled in peacetime jurisdictions and already of significant value to the international expert community. The experience of our experts gives our foreign colleagues an opportunity to broaden their methodological framework, adjust standards to crisis situations, and get ready to work in high-risk environments,” said Andrii Haichenko.

Maksym Kyselov, Director of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise of the Ministry of Justice, noted that more and more international experts are being engaged to work in Ukraine. According to him, the international community highly values the professionalism of Ukrainian experts and the results of their examinations. Such cooperation opens new opportunities for developing the industry — introducing innovative technologies, digital tools, and modern examination methods.

Iryna Zharonkina, Key Expert on Reforming the Penitentiary System and Probation at EU Project Pravo-Justice, emphasised the importance of developing forensic expertise as part of judicial reform. According to her, cooperation in this area covers not only technical support, but also raising the professional level of experts, improving training programmes and developing independent expert institutions.

EU Project Pravo-Justice has been systematically working with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, various expert institutions, and private judicial experts. This cooperation focuses on improving the regulatory framework, learning about European Union practices and standards, training judicial experts, and ensuring the independence, objectivity and quality of forensic work," noted Iryna Zharonkina.

The participants discussed issues related to the digital transformation of forensic examinations, improvement of methodologies, using cutting-edge equipment, and the role of experts in documenting war crimes. The conference also focused on standards in forensic and judicial examination.

Paweł Rybicki, international expert at EU Project Pravo-Justice, and Chair of the Board of Homeland Security Institute EFIC (Poland), emphasised that it is important to have uniform standards that ensure consistency and reliability of the findings of expert examinations. According to him, this strengthens trust in the findings of expert examinations and contributes to the fairness of court proceedings.

The new ISO 21043 standards, developed specifically for forensics, cover the entire process — from evidence collection to writing reports. They strengthen the transparency, scientific credibility, and objectivity of expert work. For Ukraine, the implementation of these standards is an important step towards harmonisation with European practices. This not only contributes to the development of professional communities, but also creates a foundation for effective cross-border cooperation in the justice sector," said Paweł Rybicki.

The conference demonstrated that the Ukrainian forensic system is well prepared for modernisation, the introduction of modern technologies and methods, and integration into the European professional community. Ukrainian experts are actively developing new approaches to their work, exchanging experience, and seeking to strengthen international cooperation to improve the quality and reliability of forensic examinations, which are integral to fair justice.