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Judge of the Supreme Court in the Administrative Cassation Court Albert Yezerov and Judge of the Supreme Court in the Criminal Cassation Court Oleksandra Yanovska took part in the screening of the documentary film “The Veto”, which is dedicated to the role of the veto power in the United Nations Security Council and its impact on the ability of the international system to respond to wars and mass crimes.
The documentary examines the legal and moral challenges arising from the use of the veto power in the UN Security Council, as well as its effect on international peace and security, accountability for the most serious international crimes, and adherence to the principle of the rule of law in global governance.
The screening was organised by the Human Rights Institute of the Ukrainian Bar Association together with the production company Tim Slade Production and the International Renaissance Foundation.
Following the film, a discussion took place in which the film producer Tim Slade, New York University professor Jennifer Trahan, former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations international tribunals Richard Goldstone, head of the Center for Civil Liberties Oleksandra Matviichuk, and Associate Professor at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Zakhar Tropin took part.
During the discussion the participants considered the compatibility of the veto power with the principle of the sovereign equality of states enshrined in the UN Charter, possible legal mechanisms for limiting or reforming the veto power, and the role of the UN General Assembly. In particular, they addressed how the veto power in practice blocks the Security Council’s ability to take decisions, and whether its use may conflict with international legal obligations. Attention was also drawn to the impact of this dysfunction on people affected by war, the crisis of confidence in the international security system, and the need for its reform.
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