The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, denounced on Saturday the “dizzying” violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Russian army in Ukraine, at the end of a visit by four days in kyiv and its region.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, denounced on Saturday the “dizzying” violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Russian army in Ukraine, at the end of a visit by four days in kyiv and its region. “The extent and gravity of the violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that have taken place following the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine are dizzying”, said Ms Mijatovic. in a press release. “The names of Boutcha, Borodianka, Irpin or Andriivka have come to symbolize the horrible acts that have been committed here”, continued the Commissioner, whose visit had not been announced for security reasons.
“Sadly, their people are not alone in their suffering. There are many more people across Ukraine who have suffered untold atrocities. Each of them deserves justice and must not be forgotten,” he said. -she adds. “I call on states to continue to support investigative and prosecutorial efforts in every possible way and to coordinate them closely with Ukrainian authorities, civil society and the International Criminal Court,” Ms. Mijatovic said.
“The deliberate targeting by Russian forces of civilians and journalists”
The commissioner visited several localities outside kyiv which “all suffered artillery fire, heavy fighting and brutality by Russian forces”, the statement continued. A “painful illustration of the scale of these gross violations of human rights and humanitarian law, with mounting evidence of arbitrary killings, torture and large-scale enforced disappearances,” the statement said. of the Council of Europe, watchdog of human rights on the continent. Russia left it a few days after attacking its Ukrainian neighbor, when a majority of the 46 other member states were preparing to exclude it.
Ms Mijatovic further pointed to “the deliberate targeting by Russian forces of civilians and journalists” as well as “increasingly reported cases of sexual violence by Russian soldiers”, “reports of numerous missing persons” and even “the torture and ill-treatment inflicted” in particular “on local Ukrainian officials”. “Even in times of war, human life and human rights must be protected… Civilians and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. Captured and surrendering soldiers, wounded and sick, must all be treated fairly and humanely,” insisted Ms. Mijatovic. During her visit, the Commissioner met several Ukrainian officials and politicians, as well as human rights defenders or members of NGOs, according to the press release.