[JURIST] Russia on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council [official website] resolution that would have created a new tribunal to prosecute those involved in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in the Ukraine last July. The new tribunal was introduced [UN News Centre report] to create a larger technical investigation into the crash. On the anniversary of the crash of MH17, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated [press release] in regards to the tragedy, “[w]hile the pain caused by this tragedy cannot be erased, the victims must be honoured by a collective effort to ascertain the truth about the incident and ensure that any persons determined responsible will be held to account.” While the new tribunal initiative failed to pass, members of the UN Security Council said it will continue to work with fellow member states in the continued investigation to ensure justice to the families of the 298 passengers who were killed.

MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed near Hrabove in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, about 25 miles from the Ukraine-Russia border. It is believed to have been shot down with a Buk surface-to-air missile. US President Barack Obama said last week that there is “credible evidence” the missile was fired from a location held by pro-Russian rebels. A UN official said that the plane crash highlights the need to resolve [UN News Centre report] the ongoing political crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Last year the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] reported increasing evidence [JURIST report] of abductions, detentions, torture and killings in the two eastern regions of Ukraine where armed forces hold control. In May of 2014, the OHCHR reported alarming deterioration of human rights [JURIST report] in the country. Earlier that month UN rights chief Navi Pillay expressed grave concern [JURIST report] over the escalating unrest in Ukraine that has brought increasing destruction and death to the region. In April the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] opened an investigation [JURIST report] into alleged crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes in Ukraine.