A long-awaited court victory after 6 years of fighting for justice for children

For more than six years, children waited for a verdict.
Six years of fear, uncertainty, and painful court hearings.
Six years in which, instead of being protected, they were forced again and again to prove the obvious and relive the trauma.

Today, we can say the most important thing: children have finally received justice.

One of the perpetrators was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment, and the court also awarded moral compensation in the amount of UAH 500,000 in favor of the affected children.

The second perpetrator is currently wanted, as a result of decisions made by the former head of the Bila Tserkva City District Court of Kyiv Region, who released him, fully aware that he would never appear in court again.

This case is a painful example of how difficult and exhausting the path to justice can be for child survivors. The proceedings were repeatedly delayed. The former head of the court, who also served as the presiding judge in the case, systematically postponed hearings. In practice, this worked in favor of the perpetrators rather than the children.

We sincerely thank the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office for its principled position and for bringing this case to a verdict.

We extend special gratitude to our lawyers, Tania Hnatiuk and Serhii Stelmakh, for their professionalism, resilience, endurance, and years of persistent advocacy for children’s rights.

We also thank the psychologists and all specialists who stood by the children throughout this time, supported them, and helped them endure and navigate this difficult journey.

For the Child Rescue team, this is the 11th successful case in the defense of children.

But behind every such number is not a statistic.
Behind it are real children, their pain, their experience, and their right to a safe future.

Today is the day when we speak clearly and without compromise:
children deserve protection and justice.

We sincerely thank our partners, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and Daphne Child, for supporting justice for children and for believing that the system must work in the best interests of the child.