On 8 December 2025, the National Human Rights Commission of Taiwan (NHRC) hosted the World Human Rights Day Webinar, “Investigating War Crimes and Advocating for International Justice: Lessons from Ukrainian Civil Society.” The keynote address was delivered online by Ms. Oleksandra Matviichuk, Chairperson of the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), Ukraine and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, followed by a dialogue with representatives from the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine (LDLU).
NHRC Vice Chairperson Chi Hui-jung noted in her opening remarks that Taiwan’s own experience of authoritarian rule and martial law, as well as ongoing threats from foreign hostile forces and information warfare, make it particularly sensitive to Ukraine’s struggle to defend freedom and democracy under invasion. She stressed that, although Taiwan is not a UN member state, the NHRC was established in line with the Paris Principles and reviews domestic human rights in light of international standards. In its recent Independent Opinion on the Fourth National Report on the Implementation of the ICCPR and ICESCR, the NHRC also put forward recommendations on prohibiting advocacy of war and clarifying the boundary between national security and freedom of expression.
In her keynote speech, Ms. Matviichuk explained that since 2014 CCL has systematically documented over 91,000 cases of human rights violations and war crimes committed during Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. These include attacks on residential areas, hospitals and schools, as well as torture, enforced disappearances and the forcible transfer of children. She underscored that the current international security system has failed to prevent aggression and that, in a context of “legal failure,” civil society must rely on documentation and advocacy to defend human dignity and make the impact of war on civilians visible to the world. Summarizing her message through the themes of fear and courage, the myth of provocation, and the power of documentation, she emphasized that ending resistance does not bring real peace, that occupation should be understood as another form of war, and that democracies cannot remain passive consumers of democracy, but must build cross-border solidarity and prepare for future threats.
The panel discussion was moderated by Professor Chen Chun-hung, Human Rights Consultant to the NHRC. Mr. Arthur Kharytonov, President of LDLU, shared his experience in countering authoritarian disinformation and supporting pro-democracy movements in Hong Kong and Ukraine, highlighting how youth and local communities can be mobilized for fact-checking and international advocacy. Ms. Mariia Makarovych, Head of LDLU’s East Asian Office, drew on her personal experience of living under occupation in eastern Ukraine and her observations in Taiwan to stress that occupation is not peace, but a form of control that erases identity and strips people of their rights. She called on Ukraine and Taiwan to jointly strengthen democratic resilience and to make becoming a free person a shared goal.
NHRC Commissioner Kao Yung-cheng pointed out that Taiwan has repeatedly been identified in international reports as one of the democracies most affected by disinformation. Against the backdrop of external hostile forces and potential aggression, societies must ask whether it is legitimate to use illiberal means to defend freedom. He noted that it is difficult to balance national security, freedom of expression, and related rights such as residence and family unity. He further warned that, just as Russia invoked “protection of pro-Russian Ukrainians” to justify its invasion, Taiwan must remain vigilant against similar narratives that could be used to legitimize interference, and underlined that any democratic defense measures must remain consistent with international human rights standards.
As part of preparations for the webinar, Ms. Matviichuk, Ms. Makarovych and representatives of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) also visited the NHRC in November 2025 to exchange views on the human rights situation during wartime and on cooperation between Ukrainian and Taiwanese civil society. The webinar was held in hybrid format and attended by NHRC Vice Chairperson Chi Hui-jung, Commissioners Kao Yung-cheng, Tien Chiu-chin, Upay Radiw Kanasaw and Wang Li-Jen, as well as participants from the Control Yuan, the Executive Yuan, foreign missions and NGOs in Taiwan. The NHRC hopes that this dialogue will help maintain international attention on human rights under war and contribute to collective efforts to safeguard human rights and democracy.