Combating Atrocity Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide

Lord Wigley Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, I welcome this debate and congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Alton, on securing it and on the manner in which he moved today’s Motion. This of course follows the First Reading earlier today of the Genocide Determination Bill—a Private Member’s Bill introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Alton—to provide an avenue for justice to victims of the crime of genocide, which is also a topic of concern to me.

In the few minutes available today, I wish to focus on avenues for justice and accountability for international crimes. There is one particular case on which I wish to focus—a case which I have previously raised in this Chamber—relating to the tragic death of Ryan Evans of Wrexham, who was working for Reuters in Ukraine in August 2024, covering alleged atrocities committed by the Russians in Ukraine. The hotel in which the Reuters team was staying was hit by a Russian missile. Ryan was killed and nine others were injured.

I raised this by way of an amendment to the then Crime and Policing Bill, but we were unable at that stage to persuade the Government to adopt it. The reply I received in that debate made me question whether the Government understand what a victim/survivor-centric response to international crimes means, or indeed what victim/survivor-centric justice should look like.

On that day in February, I was told that the UK Government are already doing a lot to support justice and accountability in Ukraine, such as providing training for lawyers, judges and others. However, even now I have received no response as to what the Government are doing to provide justice and accountability for Ryan’s family. So what have the present UK Government done to support Ryan’s family in their pursuit of justice and accountability for his premature and unlawful death?

As it is, the families of such victims are left powerless. This is totally at odds with the victim/survivor-centric approach that the Government have always stressed. In all seriousness, what do the Government expect the family of Ryan Evans to do? Seek justice in Ukraine? There must surely be an easier way. The UK Government may be aware that, while the law in this country does not allow it, other countries have managed to find a way to ensure that their citizens, as victims and survivors of international crimes abroad, can seek justice through their domestic courts. This is called a passive personality jurisdiction and it allows a state to prosecute foreign nationals for crimes committed abroad when the victim is a citizen of that prosecuting state. It is the citizenship of the victims/survivors that is the critical factor.

Such laws exist in France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Lithuania among others. Indeed, Lithuania is investigating the killing of its own citizen, Mantas Kvedaravičius, who was killed by the Russian military in Mariupol. In February 2024, the prosecutor-general of Lithuania announced that three soldiers had been identified as suspects and charged with the killing of Mantas. Why would we not want to help our citizens seek justice before our domestic courts? Why can other countries find a more humane solution than we can? If a small country such as Lithuania—the size of Wales—can do it, surely it is not beyond the capability of the UK to do likewise. Is it just a matter of not having the political commitment to deliver justice for UK citizens caught in such tragic circumstances?

I tabled a Bill for these purposes in the Private Members’ Bill ballot earlier this year but was unsuccessful. However, I will continue to seek opportunities to press for British citizens who are victims of international crimes to have clear avenues for justice and accountability. I do so in memory of Ryan, for his family, and for future victims and their families, all of whom will suffer the same challenges until the law in the UK is changed.