DISINFO: Biased JIT ignores massive data supplied by Russia
SUMMARY
The Netherlands-led JIT which investigates the MH17 crash has repeatedly ignored massive data which Moscow was willing to provide for the sake of aiding the probe. This clearly shows that JIT is biased against Russia. The country was not invited to join the investigation team in the first place, despite the fact that it was ready to provide useful information on the incident. The actions of the Dutch authorities clearly indicate their efforts to pressure the court in The Hague.
RESPONSE
The story advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the MH17 crash. The "massive data" which the report refers to is the "field experiment" by Russian state defence contractor Almaz-Antey, allegedly demonstrating that the type of projectile which downed the plane had not been used by Russian forces since 2011; radar data which the Russian Ministry of Defence "discovered" in 2016, and which contradict the readings Moscow presented in 2014. Both sets of Russia-supplied evidence have long been debunked. In 2015 Russia vetoed UN resolution that would have established an international tribunal for the purpose of prosecuting persons responsible for crimes connected with the downing of MH17. There are no legal or logical grounds for granting Russian officials an active role in the MH17 investigation, regardless of their professed enthusiasm. The crash did not take place over Russian territory and claimed no Russian lives, which precludes any basis for Moscow to be represented in the JIT. Dutch Chief Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke told a Russian newspaper that "if MH17 were shot down over Russia, I would have suggested that Russia be made a member of the JIT group." The notion that the Dutch authorities would pressure their own judiciary in order to score a public relations coup is deeply unconvincing. The Netherlands consistently ranks near the top of the pile in terms of judicial independence, e.g. in rankings compiled by the World Economic Forum (3rd place globally, p. 419) and the World Justice Project (5th place globally, p. 16).