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The UN Human
Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has released a report in which it provided
grave concerns in detail over the summary execution of about 70 Ukrainian
civilians by Russian forces.
The report
covers the period of Russia's invasion of Ukraine starting from February 2022
to May 2023.
It also
highlights other violations of international law committed by both sides
involved in the conflict.
Summary Executions by Russian Forces:
The HRMMU
report expresses deep concern over the summary execution of 77 Ukrainian
civilians, consisting of 72 men and 5 women, who were arbitrarily detained by
Russian forces.
The report
further notes the death of one detainee due to torture, inhumane detention
conditions, and denial of necessary medical care.
These actions
by Russian forces are deemed to be grave breaches of human rights and
international law.
Arbitrary Detention and Enforced Disappearances:
The UN agency
documented 864 cases of arbitrary detention by Russian troops, many of which
involved enforced disappearances.
Additionally,
260 civilians were detained based on their perceived political views or
exercise of freedom of expression.
However, Russia
denied access to conflict-related detainees, hindering a comprehensive
assessment of the situation.
Reports
indicate that a significant number of detainees were subjected to torture,
ill-treatment, and sexual violence in order to compel confessions or
cooperation with occupying authorities.
Unlawful Detention by Ukrainian Security Forces:
The report also
finds Ukrainian security forces guilty of unlawfully detaining at least 75
individuals, primarily suspects of conflict-related offenses.
Moreover, 65
civilians were held in forceful isolation to extract confessions.
The HRMMU report highlights that 57% of interviewed detainees reported torture and ill-treatment by Ukrainian authorities, mostly in unofficial places of detention.
Concerns over Ukrainian Legislation and Convictions:
OHCHR raises
concerns about the vague and overly broad wording of a Ukrainian law introduced
in March of the previous year, which established criminal liability for
collaboration.
The report
emphasizes that this legislation has led to arbitrary detentions, violating the
principle of legality.
The Ukrainian
prosecutor general's office initiated over 5,400 criminal proceedings resulting
in 500 guilty verdicts, predominantly against Russians.
However, no
information is available regarding criminal proceedings against Ukrainians
involved in arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance.
(Courtesy:
Al-Jazeera)
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