Members of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine informed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that they’ve documented assaults with explosive weapons on residential buildings, civilian infrastructure and medical establishments, in addition to torture and sexual and gender-based violence.
Rape allegations
Commission Chair Erik Møse supplied harrowing particulars on the findings to the Council, noting that within the Kherson area, “Russian soldiers raped and committed sexual violence against women of ages ranging from 19 to 83 years”, typically along with threats or fee of different violations.
“Frequently, family members were kept in an adjacent room, thereby forced to hear the violations taking place,” Mr. Møse mentioned.
‘Widespread’ torture
The Commission mentioned that its investigations in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia point out the “widespread and systematic” use of torture by Russian armed forces towards individuals accused of being informants of the Ukrainian army, which in some instances led to demise.
Mr. Møse quoted a sufferer of torture as saying, “Every time I answered that I didn’t know or didn’t remember something, they gave me electric shocks… I don’t know how long it lasted. It felt like an eternity.”
Probe into baby transfers a ‘priority’
The Commissioners additionally indicated that they’ve continued to analyze particular person conditions of alleged transfers of unaccompanied youngsters by Russian authorities to the Russian Federation.
“This item remains very high on our priority list,” Mr. Møse assured the Council.
Possible ‘incitement to genocide’
The Commission expressed concern about allegations of genocide in Ukraine, warning that “some of the rhetoric transmitted in Russian state and other media may constitute incitement to genocide”
Mr. Møse mentioned that the Commission was “continuing its investigations on such issues”.
Call for accountability
The UN-appointed impartial rights investigators emphasised the necessity for accountability and expressed remorse about the truth that all of their communications addressed to the Russian Federation “remain unanswered”.
In their report, the Commissioners additionally urged the Ukrainian authorities to “expeditiously and thoroughly” examine the few instances of violations by its personal forces.
No equivalence
Replying to questions from reporters in Geneva on Monday, the UN-appointed impartial rights investigators strongly refuted any ideas of an equivalence within the violations dedicated by either side.
Mr. Møse careworn that on the Russian aspect, the Commission had discovered a “wide spectrum” and “large number of violations”. On the Ukrainian aspect, there have been “a few examples” associated to indiscriminate assaults in addition to “ill-treatment of Russians in Ukrainian captivity”, he mentioned.
More in-depth investigations
The newest replace displays the Commission’s ongoing investigations throughout its second mandate, which began in April this 12 months.
Mr. Møse mentioned that it was now enterprise “more in-depth investigations” relating to illegal assaults with explosive weapons, assaults affecting civilians, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and assaults on power infrastructure.
“This may also clarify whether torture and attacks on energy infrastructure amount to crimes against humanity,” the Commissioners mentioned.
The Commission
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine was established by the Human Rights Council on 4 March 2022 to analyze all alleged violations and abuses of human rights, violations of worldwide humanitarian regulation and associated crimes within the context of the aggression towards Ukraine by Russia.
Its three members are Chair Erik Møse, Pablo de Greiff and Vrinda Grover. They should not UN workers and don’t obtain a wage for his or her work.
The mandate of the Commission of Inquiry was prolonged by the Council final April for an additional interval of 1 12 months. Its subsequent report to the General Assembly is due in October.
