ST. PAUL, Minn.—The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) today presents its annual Eclipse Award to three members of the Prosecutor General’s office of Ukraine: Spartak Borysenko, Anna Sosonska and Roman Tysb. The award is presented each year to an individual or organization that has played a crucial role in ending torture, holding perpetrators accountable, or extending care and rehabilitation to survivors.

This year, CVT recognizes the work being done by the office of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General, Andriy Kostin. Under extremely difficult conditions, his team is currently handling more than 75,000 war crimes investigations, including many cases of torture perpetrated by Russian occupation forces. The team will continue to work to bring all perpetrators to justice, either via Ukrainian courts or in collaboration with international legal mechanisms.

“No one who commits crimes against humanity should go unpunished. It’s important that the world know. Victims and survivors need to be heard,” Prosecutor General Kostin told Dr. Simon Adams, CVT president and CEO.

Dr. Adams commented, “Today it is our deep honor to present the CVT Eclipse award to three courageous members of the Office of the Prosecutor General’s team: Spartak Borysenko, Roman Tsyb and Anna Sosonska. These individuals exemplify tenacity and have displayed unwavering courage. Every day they are working to uphold the human rights of their fellow citizens who have been tortured.”

Spartak Borysenko is acting head of the Unit for the Counteraction to Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict, Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office. Anna Sosonska is head of the Second Unit, Division Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Crimes, Department for Counteracting the Crimes Committed in the Context of the Armed Conflict, Prosecutor General’s Office. Roman Tsyb is deputy head of the Third Unit, Division for Procedural Guidance and Support of Public Prosecution, Department for Counteracting the Crimes Committed in the Context of the Armed Conflict, Prosecutor General’s Office.

CVT presents the Eclipse Award each year on June 26, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. On June 26, 1987, the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment went into effect. Every year, events are held around the world honoring and celebrating this day.

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The Center for Victims of Torture is a nonprofit organization with offices in Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Uganda, United States and additional project sites around the world. Visit www.cvt.org