UN Chief Urges States To Cooperate With Efforts To Reach Justice In MH17 Case - Spokesman

Faizan Hashmi Published July 16, 2021 | 10:10 PM

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all member states to fully cooperate with all efforts to identify those responsible for downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine ahead of the seventh anniversary of the tragic event, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in a press briefing on Friday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th July, 2021) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all member states to fully cooperate with all efforts to identify those responsible for downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine ahead of the seventh anniversary of the tragic event, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in a press briefing on Friday.

"Tomorrow, the 17th of July, will mark the seventh anniversary of the downing of Malaysia airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the families of the 298 people who lost their lives on that tragic day," Haq said

"The Secretary-General acknowledges the important work of the independent Joint Investigation Team and takes note of the legal proceedings taking place in the Netherlands. He once again calls on all member states to fully cooperate with all efforts to establish accountability and justice for those who perished in the downing of flight MH17, pursuant to Security Council resolution," he said.

The the Joint Investigation Team, comprised of officials from the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, the Dutch police and criminal justice authorities from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, was established to lead the criminal investigation into downing of the Kuala Lumpur-bound Malaysian Boeing that crashed in July 2014 while flying over a conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.

The international group of investigators claims that the plane was downed by a Buk missile belonging to the Russian armed forces an allegation repeatedly denied by Moscow.

Russia said it has provided the Dutch investigators not only with Russian radar data but also the documents proving that the Buk missile, which hit the Boeing, actually belonged to the Ukrainian forces and was launched from territory controlled by Kiev.

The trial of four suspects in the case, three Russian citizens and one Ukrainian citizen, began in March 2020 in the Netherlands.