Zelenska, Kennedy discuss return of Ukrainian children

Baroness Helena Kennedy, a British human rights activist, the Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), has arrived in Kyiv.

The relevant statement was made by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Justice [the British section of the International Commission of Jurists, a human rights organization that promotes human rights around the world – Ed.] and Helena Kennedy as its chair have been helping to restore justice in Ukraine. Today, I am glad to welcome Helena Kennedy to Kyiv. We discussed the effective mechanisms for bringing our children back and their further reintegration,” Zelenska wrote.

According to the First Lady, a number of important events would take place in Ukraine these days to return deported Ukrainian children.

“We believe that uniting the international community to broadly highlight this issue, coordinate the efforts of international partners and bring those responsible to justice will contribute to progress in the return of our children. As you know, the release of all prisoners and the return of deportees is a separate point of President Zelensky’s Peace Formula,” Zelenska noted.

In the course of the meeting, the parties touched upon the horrible crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainian children. A total of 511 children were killed, and at least 13 (12 girls and one boy) became victims of sexual violence by Russian occupiers.

Zelenska emphasized that, with the start of Russian armed aggression, many Ukrainian children were forced to seek refuge abroad. They are deprived of full access to the educational process. Studying in a school shelter or online, without access to school, has become commonplace.

“This is a loss of childhood, sometimes a lifelong psychological trauma,” Zelenska added.

The First Lady noted that, in this path, Ukraine would need support and assistance from such experts as Helena Kennedy and her team.

In her turn, Kennedy mentioned that her work regarding sexual crimes against women and children in Ukraine, as well as the abduction of Ukrainian children, had already led to the International Criminal Court issuing warrants against Putin and Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights.

Photo: Olena Zelenska, Telegram