In a briefing to the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday, UN rights chief Volker Türk highlighted the widespread devastation and violations of worldwide regulation which have outlined the battle.
He famous that July 2024 was the deadliest month for civilians since October 2022, with a pointy rise in casualties resulting from large-scale Russian assaults throughout Ukraine.
Between June and August, civilian casualties surged by 45 per cent in comparison with the earlier three months, pushed by missile, drone, and aerial strikes, in addition to ongoing floor operations aimed toward capturing extra Ukrainian territory.
“At the same time, insidious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law continue in places of detention hidden from the view of independent monitors,” Mr. Türk mentioned.
Mr. Türk expressed grave concern over the mistreatment of prisoners of warfare (POWs), notably Ukrainian troopers.
Widespread torture of Ukrainian PoWs
He reported “widespread and systematic” torture of Ukrainian POWs by Russian forces, primarily based on documented accounts from 174 Ukrainian POWs, practically all of whom described constant experiences of torture throughout captivity.
“Instances of torture are taking place on a daily or weekly basis. Minimum safeguards which are meant to help prevent torture – such as allowing prisoners to communicate with the outside world, access by independent monitors, or routine medical exams – have been absent or ineffective,” he mentioned.
“The evidence gathered also suggests involvement of facility supervisors, and significant coordination among various entities of the Russian Federation – such as the Federal Security Service and the Federal Penitentiary Service.”
He additional voiced concern over the dehumanizing rhetoric from Russian public figures calling for inhumane therapy and even the execution of Ukrainian POWs, warning that broad amnesty legal guidelines for Russian service members are fuelling impunity.
Violations in opposition to Russian POWs
Mr. Türk additional reported that some Russian POWs held by Ukrainian authorities additionally reported situations of torture and sexual violence, primarily throughout the preliminary levels of captivity.
“In nearly all cases, the torture and ill-treatment stopped when prisoners arrived at official places of internment, where conditions generally met international standards,” he mentioned.
He referred to as on Ukraine to make sure that POWs are handled in accordance with worldwide regulation “at all stages of their captivity”.
‘Vicious’ assaults on civilians
Mr. Türk additionally highlighted the continued Russian assaults on Ukraine’s crucial vitality infrastructure, with no less than 4 main waves of assaults over the previous three months. These strikes, more and more concentrating on energy technology services, have led to widespread blackouts and raised issues over a freezing winter forward.
“This is a vicious way of harming civilians,” he mentioned, stressing that electrical energy is important for hospitals, heating, water therapy, and day by day life in a closely urbanized nation like Ukraine.
“Electricity is nothing short of a lifeblood.”
Additionally, he drew consideration to the environmental harm attributable to the battle and the dangers posed by preventing close to nuclear energy stations.
He concluded by urging Russia to fulfill its worldwide obligations, grant entry to unbiased displays, and finish its navy assault on Ukraine.
Access to the bottom is crucial for establishing details and guaranteeing accountability, he emphasised.
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