Working visit to Berlin by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
- Details
- Published: October 30, 2024
Representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the public prosecutor's offices of various Ukrainian regions visited Berlin from 14 to 18 October 2024 to exchange views with the German judiciary on juvenile crime, juvenile justice and the issue of ‘young people as victims of crime’.
Youth crime in Ukraine has increased significantly since Russia launched its war of aggression in February 2022, and the Ukrainian criminal code does not currently distinguish between children, young people or adults who break the law. Children and young people are also increasingly becoming victims of violence themselves.
The ten-member delegation held expert talks at the Federal Ministry of Justice on the topic of ‘Youth Crime and Youth Criminal Cases’, but also discussed the legal basis of out-of-court settlements, such as victim-offender mediation, and then exchanged views with the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office about its role in juvenile criminal proceedings. There was also a lively comparative exchange on the legal bases of both countries and on how children and young people are treated in criminal proceedings.
A technical discussion with a juvenile court judge and a defence lawyer showed the scope of the two different roles in criminal proceedings, supplemented by the principle of juvenile court assistance, the tasks and the responsibilities towards young people.
In a further discussion, two female chief inspectors from the Berlin State Office of Criminal Investigation explained the various strategies for preventing child and youth crime in the German capital. Finally, the child protection and trauma outpatient clinics in Berlin and the Childhood House at the Charité were presented to the delegation at the Charité. Children and young people affected by violence are not only taken care of here, but also accommodated in secure premises. This means that they do not necessarily have to appear in court, which promotes child-friendly justice.
The working visit was preceded by a preparatory online event in August 2020, during which an IRZ training film showed an example of a juvenile criminal trial concerning the robbery of a vest.
The delegation was able to take away many ideas from the German juvenile court system. IRZ is planning to continue the cooperation in 2025.