Lubinets appeals to Moskalkova on death of Azov regiment driver in Russian captivity
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets sent an immediate letter to the Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova regarding the death of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Ishchenko in Russian captivity.
The Ombudsman reported this in Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
"I learnt about the death of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Ishchenko, 55, who was tried by Russians under a trumped-up article and held in a detention centre in Russia," Lubinets wrote.
He noted that, according to Ishchenko's daughter, her father died 9 days ago, but no one officially informed the Ukrainian side of this. There was also no official report on the cause of death of the Ukrainian citizen.
"I immediately sent a letter to the Russian Ombudsman to investigate the tragic death of a prisoner of war held by the Russian side and to inform me of the circumstances and cause of death of Oleksandr Ishchenko," the ombudsman said.
He added that he had also reported the tragedy to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN, so that the organisations could record the death of the prisoner of war and pay attention to the conditions of detention of Ukrainian defenders.
"Ukraine demands that the Russian Federation strictly adhere to the Geneva Conventions - provide the necessary medical care, set up a mixed medical commission to enable the repatriation of all seriously ill and seriously wounded," the Commissioner said.
At the same time, he reminded that according to Article 12 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, prisoners of war are in the hands of the enemy state, not the individuals or military units that took them prisoner. Regardless of the responsibility that individuals may bear, the capturing power is responsible for the treatment of prisoners of war.
As reported by Ukrinform, Ukrainian prisoner of war Oleksandr Ishchenko, who served as a driver in the Azov regiment, died in SIZO-5 in Rostov-on-Don.