The Ukrainian NGO Truth Hounds received the 2023 Sakharov Freedom Prize for "contributions to documenting the facts and evidence of war crimes, as well as potential crimes against humanity." Representatives of Ukraine receive this award for the first time.
This was reported by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), which launched the award in 1980 with the support of Andriy Sakharov himself.
"Documentation work makes Truth Hounds an important driving force and a player to be reckoned with," noted NGC Secretary General Berit Lindemann. The Sakharov Prize is a sign of our respect for both the organization itself and the entire Ukrainian people, who are fighting against unprovoked Russian aggression and brutal attack."
The Truth Hounds organization began its activities immediately after the Revolution of Dignity, with the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea and the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, and over the years has grown into a group of "highly qualified documentarians and experts in international humanitarian law."
"Truth Hounds systematically document violations of international humanitarian law, collecting victim testimony and other compelling evidence, assisting investigations by the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC), Ukrainian investigators, and investigators from other countries that apply universal jurisdiction, including Norway. Truth Hounds combine open source intelligence (OSINT) with professional documentation during field missions. The Norwegian Helsinki Committee helps in this work by providing a database specially designed for the preservation and investigation of materials related to human rights violations," the message reads.
The work of Truth Hounds is not limited to Ukraine, but also documents in the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Belarus.
- The award ceremony will take place on May 25, 2023 at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.