DATE: Tuesday, 14 January 2020

TIME: 7pm

VENUE: 70 Holland Park 

Admission: Tickets £10, £7 concessions. Book via eventbrite.

In March, 2020, the Netherlands will formally launch the MH17 criminal trial in Amsterdam. It will be held in a specially-built facility and represents the first step for families of the 298 victims seeking justice from the 2014 crash over Eastern Ukraine. MH 17 crashed on July 17, 2014 while enroute from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The Boeing 777, in service for 17 years to the day, was brought down by a BUK missile transported from Russia. The Joint Investigation Team has formally charged four suspects: three Russian and one Ukrainian. Evidence that included phone conversations show that the chain of command for the war in E Ukraine leads to top Kremlin officials – including the defense minister. The four suspects are now in Russia or Russian rebel-controlled Donetsk and are not expected to be extradited. One suspect was released by Ukraine to Russia in a prisoner swap earlier this year. Dutch investigators were able to interview him prior to the transfer. For the families – many of whom are in the UK – the search for justice has been painful and frustrating.

Michael Bociurkiw, a global affairs analyst and a former spokesperson for OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. He was part of the OSCE team which reach the MH17 crash site just 20 or so hours after it fell from the skies. In that role, he became de facto spokesperson for the crash. Mr Bociurkiw will speak about the prospects of getting justice for the victims of this appalling tragedy and the political repercussions of the case.

Speaker’s bio:

Michael Bociurkiw is a global affairs analyst and the former spokesperson for the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine. He was part of the OSCE team which reach the MH17 crash site just 20 or so hours after it fell from the skies. In that role, he became de facto spokesperson for the crash.
Michael is a CNN Opinion contributor and is a regular on BBC World Television, BBC World Service Radio, CNNi, Bloomberg TV and Al Jazeera. He comments frequently on events in Ukraine and the surrounding region. A Canadian of Ukrainian origin, he has served as global spokesperson for UNICEF and as a media focal point for UNICEF in many emergencies and conflict zones. His consulting and media work has involved many stints in Ukraine.
Michael started his journalism career at The Ukrainian Weekly and has been widely published in such media as Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, the South China Morning Post, Globe and Mail and Asia Times. He is on the board of the Ukrainian Journalists Association of North America and the East Europe Foundation.