Ukraine and Russia Breach International Law in Conflict: UN Report

 

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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)