In violation of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of August 12, 1949 and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Ukraine continues the criminal practice of using illegal methods of moral and physical coercion against detained participants in a special military operation.
I am deeply shocked by the footage from the Kharkov region, circulated yesterday on social networks. In this video, Ukrainian nationalists brutally mock the captured military personnel. They shot in the legs men who are unarmed and tied. At the same time, they continue the interrogation, leaving them without the necessary medical care.
We are talking about the flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. This is a war crime that Ukrainian fighters, while remaining unpunished, do not even try to hide.
Today, I officially addressed the Head of the Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine, Pascal Hundt, and the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, with a call to intervene in the situation, give a proper legal assessment of Ukraine’s actions and take urgent response measures to prevent torture and cruel and degrading treatment of captured citizens in the future.
I believe that this can be facilitated by consideration of the issue of the situation with the rights of prisoners in Ukraine within the framework of the UN Committee against Torture and, as a result, at the UN General Assembly. I insist that it is the international human rights missions that should act as the initiators of holding the relevant meeting in the very near future.
The civilized world cannot leave the criminal actions of Ukraine against prisoners of war without attention and condemnation. This devalues not only international humanitarian law, but also the institution of human rights as a whole.
