Russia is guilty of massive violations of human rights in Ukraine, – Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine led to a massive human rights violations. This is stated in the Memorandum of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights which was published recently.

“The attack of the Russian Federation led to serious and massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Its consequences for the observance of human rights of Ukrainian citizens are catastrophic,” the document states.

The Memorandum also stressed that the Commissioner encountered convincing evidence of violations of the right to life committed by Russian army forces, such as arbitrary killings and enforced disappearances and violations of other norms of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

“The huge number of human lives lost and the scale of destruction are astounding. They cannot be understood,” the Commissioner emphasized, calling for respect and observance of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

In her report, the representative of the Council of Europe also emphasized that she had received numerous reports about the widespread practice of forcibly deporting Ukrainian citizens to territories not controlled by the government of Ukraine or to the territory of the Russian Federation through the so-called “filtering” process.

Dunja Mijatović stressed that this practice, which seems to have many characteristics of the international crime of forced population displacement, should be immediately investigated. All humanitarian evacuations must be voluntary, safe and preinformed.

“I call on members of the international community to support any efforts that can help Ukrainian citizens who were handed over to the Russian Federation against their will,” the Commissioner stressed.

The document also mentions numerous reports of sexual violence, alegedly committed by the Russian military.

While all such allegations must be properly investigated, “the priority now must be to create a safe environment for victims, ensure their effective access to redress and justice, and protect their dignity and well-being,” the report emphasise.

The full version of the document can be found on Council of Europe official portl.