Amnesty International has accused the separatists of the “DNR” and “LNR” in the shooting of prisoners of war
New shocking evidence of the involvement of pro-Russian armed groups in Donbas (Eastern Ukraine) to “Kill in the form of executions,” clearly demonstrate the urgent need to take urgent action to de-escalate the crisis in the field of human rights and the elimination of a humanitarian catastrophe in the region, said April 9 Amnesty International.
“New evidence of mass killings confirm that what we long suspected. The main issue is that the separatist leaders are going to do in this regard “, – said Denis Krivosheev, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Europe and Central Asia.
“Torture, ill-treatment and killing of captured, surrendered or captured wounded soldiers are considered war crimes. All such statements must be immediately thoroughly and impartially investigated and that all those responsible – brought to a fair trial recognized by the authorities “, – he added.
The video, which says Amnesty International, was captured prisoner interrogated Ukrainian soldier Igor Branovitskiy – one of the defenders of the Donetsk airport. Placed on YouTube videos on the prisoner’s face visible marks of beatings. He remained in captivity for as long as he was not killed.
A number of witnesses claim to have seen, in Igorya Branovitskogo point-blank shot separatist commander and killed him. soldier’s body returned to his relatives at the beginning of this month, the deceased was cremated in Kyiv on April 3. Ukrainian security officials have launched an investigation into the killing.
In addition, the property of Amnesty International has video, which was captured on the capture of at least three other employees Ukrainian armed forces, as well as photographs of their bodies, presumably made in the morgue of the city of Donetsk. In the area of the head and upper body, you can see traces of bullet wounds, apparently resulting from the killing in the form of penalty. The servicemen were captured by pro-Russian forces in Debaltsevo the twelfth of February 18, 2015, ie during the period when the defending Ukrainian armed groups were there in the environment.
In support of evidence-sixth of April the Ukrainian newspaper «Kyiv Post» published a telephone interview that, according to, gave reporters Arseny Pavlov, widely known by the call sign “Motorola”. Pavlov was reportedly a Russian citizen and the commander of the pro-Russian armed group “Sparta Battalion” operating in eastern Ukraine, said that he personally “shot” fifteen POWs Ukrainian armed forces. According to reports, he was killed Igorya Branovitskogo.
“This is terrible” confession “of one of the separatist fighters, as well as video evidence, according to witnesses, as well as all other accumulated evidence of abuse of prisoners on both sides indicate the urgent need for an independent investigation into this and all the other atrocities committed in during which began a year ago, an armed conflict “, – said Denis Krivosheev.
He said: “The mass murder – is a war crime, and nothing else. Manual self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in the east of Ukraine is obliged to clearly make it clear to his followers that those who fight for them or on their side, are obliged to observe the laws of war. They must urgently expel from its ranks those suspected of involvement in the commission of, or giving orders to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights, as well as should fully cooperate with any independent body to investigate crimes. “
As the opposing sides of the armed conflict, armed groups, such as “Battalion Sparta”, are legally obliged to comply with the laws of international humanitarian law – the laws of war, which prohibits, inter alia, torture and other ill-treatment, as well as the murder of detainees.
Sourse, 09/04/2015
