UN Human Rights Council to consider situation in Ukraine

According to Ukrinform, the UN's press service said this in a statement posted on its website.

Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif said that just over 200 days since Russia invaded its neighbor, throughout Ukraine, "the suffering of the civilian population continues."

Beyond the war-torn country, severe fuel shortages and threats to food security are now the norm in some of the world's poorest countries, she said.

In Russia, she insisted that "intimidation, restrictive measures and sanctions" against critics of the war in Ukraine had undermined "fundamental freedoms," as had "pressure against journalists," internet jamming, "and other forms of censorship."

The acting UN rights chief also urged Russia to reconsider measures that it had taken to expand the "foreign agent" label, including individuals considered to be "under foreign influence," in addition to criminalizing undeclared contacts "with representatives of States, foreign or international organizations" deemed to pose a risk to Russian security.

The special Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine is due, for the first time, to deliver its findings on possible war crimes to the Council on September 23. In particular, it was tasked with investigating grave abuses in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy regions in late February and in March, the report said.

Photo: UNDP Ukraine/Oleksandr Ratushnia